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To Open or Not to Open? A Georgia Gym Owner’s Dilemma and The Story So Far…

May 25, 2020 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

Regardless where you find yourself politically, our current culture is turbulent for everyone. Business owners are faced with very tough decisions right now. We risk alienating some, or possibly losing our livelihood. In recent weeks I have found myself struggling with how to make the best decision for everyone involved. I reached a profound conclusion…you can’t please everyone. And, if you are like me, you are in the same seemingly unwinnable spot.

My decision came down to choice. I had to choose whether or not to open my business back up and provide people the opportunity to make a decision for themselves. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what political party you are a part of, or if you’re part of one at all, but I believe we all have a choice. My choice is still to provide my clients with a safe environment for them to be able to continue their journey that we have been on for a very long time.

Many of my clients are choosing to stay home and I will continue to send them programming until they are ready to return. But those who choose to come to my facility are now allowed to do so. This decision has warranted some heated debates & comments from some that I was putting people’s health at risk. Trust me, as the mother of a child with a weakened immune system I understand the risks. But I also understand the risks of not taking care of ourselves physically and mentally.

I do not own a mega gym. My facility is small, easy to control, and easier to keep clean then larger facilities. With that said, I do feel like I am at an advantage compared to larger corporate gyms who are facing an uphill battle keeping facilities clean and managing social distancing guidelines.

For the eight weeks that I was closed, I taught my clients online or sent them workouts for them to do at home. But the number one thing I heard every day was how they missed the personal interaction with me and with their fellow gym members. I’m not sure at the end of the day what is special about me, but that was the common thread. People wanted me there with them on their journey.

While online training is a great option during times like these for many people, humans by nature are a social species. Because of this need for human connection, nothing replaces in-person quality training. For this very reason, I made the decision to open as soon as my state allowed me to do so.

My clients are more than a paycheck. They are an extension of my family and my goal every day is to take care of my family. Despite this, I still struggled with my decision to open. I knew there would be clients (and people in my city) who would not support my decision. I also knew there would be many who would.

At the end of each day, it still feels like a massive balancing act between providing a safe/clean environment, being vigilant to not put people at more risk, being sensitive to those who aren’t ready to return, answering questions & comments from those who don’t support my decisions, and still providing good solid programming for those who step through my doors.

No one will know whether or not we as business owners are making the right decisions. Those answers may not be clear this month, next month, or next year. But I do believe that we have to keep moving forward. Moving forward will look different depending on what set of lenses you are viewing your world through and your individual circumstances. Either way, what better way to keep moving forward then with people you trust. At the end of each day, I feel like that’s what I have…people who trust me.

Our Experience So Far…

Since my re-opening three weeks ago, things have gradually started to come to life as expected. I have seen a handful of clients quit completely, for fear of being at the gym with other people. I have a few clients who are remaining at home due to current health issues, or the health issues of a family member, but I am providing them with online workouts for as long as they need them.

But thankfully, the majority have returned to their normal training times at the gym. The ones who have chosen to return are all very respectful of people’s space and everyone is pitching in to help clean up equipment between classes. My facility is around 4500 square feet and classes usually range from 5 to 12 people so we have plenty of space to spread out. I have three hours between each group training session which allows us to clean after each use. Being a smaller facility definitely provides me with an advantage as I can more easily control my headcount and keep the facility much cleaner than if I had a larger space.

If you are a gym owner who is struggling with the decision of opening your business, I can’t make that decision for you. Depending on where you live, staying closed may be the best decision. For some of you, the best decision may be to open. But that decision is now left up to you and you alone.

Do some soul-searching, and determine what path is best for you and your clients. If your clients are as invested in you as mine are in me, they will support you regardless of what path you take.

7 Guidelines for Keeping it Safe

If you are thinking of opening your doors here are a few things that I do on a daily basis to keep my clients safe:

Keep a certain number of people in the building based on square footage. Check your State/Country’s social distancing guidelines and then follow them.
Clean equipment between every group training session or private client. Although this means more expenses for cleaning supplies, It will go a long way towards making your clients feel safer.
Provide training times for the clients who feel comfortable coming in, but be willing to also provide online programming for those who just aren’t ready yet. These workouts need to be simple and easy to do with little to no equipment. During times of stress your clients do not need workouts that will just put more stress on their bodies.
Provide them with plenty of bodyweight or kettlebell workouts if they have the equipment, but make sure to include lots of mobility or yoga that will address mobility/stress issues.Right now many people are working from home and sitting even more than normal so mobility segments are more crucial than ever before.
Do not allow children to come into the gym. It will keep head count lower and leave more room for clients.
Require clients to wash their hands before and after their workouts as well as wipe down any equipment that they use before they leave.
Provide disinfectant wipes throughout the gym for cleaning equipment, as well as, have hand sanitizer dispensers mounted in the front and rear of the gym.

At the end of the day, how we tackle this new normal of ours should be up to us as individuals. Some of you reading this article do not feel comfortable opening your business and I believe it is your right to remain closed. Some you want, or need to open, and I believe it is your right to do so. But throughout your decision-making process, be sensitive to your clients expectations, fears, and the world around you. Be smart and provide your clients with a clean and safe environment, as well as, provide options for training at home should they need or choose to do so.

Regardless of what side you find yourself on amid this chaos, let’s choose to encourage each other and support each other as gym owners, as trainers, and as citizens. We are, and will remain, stronger together.

Wondering how my clients have felt about the reopening experience?

I asked! And some of them have been kind enough to comment:

“COVID-19 has definitely changed the way a lot of us live our lives. From the way we shop, interact with others and travel our lives have been altered due to this pandemic. One thing that has stayed the same through all of this is my love for KA Athletics. When I walk through the doors of KA I am greeted by Kristy whom has the warmest smile and makes her gym feel like the safest but deadliest place all at the same time.

As soon as KA was able to open those doors again I came running. I knew before this pandemic that Kristy’s gym was clean and safe due to her dedication to her gym and community she’s created. Those four walls might be just a “gym” to some but to Kristy that’s her passion, livelihood, heart and soul. There was no doubt in my mind her space was as clean as it possibly could be. The only thing dirty in her gym were the looks I might give her and her workouts on the board. To add though like most people I go to the gym to better myself and my body. Although my body needed the gym after quarantine, my mind needed it just as well.” — Carly Duke

“I don’t mind saying I have been cautious, not because I’m afraid, but because of immunosuppressant medication. Your online workouts have been my connection to physical wellness….I am so thankful for those! I desperately miss you, my trainer and my workout buddies! I will be back the beginning of June and can’t wait! Thank you for your support through this whole process!!!!” — Pam Green

“Kristy is fanatic about keeping the gym clean. After working out with her through Zoom, I jumped at the chance to get back into the gym as I knew she would take every precaution to keep her space clean for us. She genuinely cares for us like she does her own family. I am grateful for her courage to open back up amidst the controversy of doing such. And my body feels so much better.” — Ashlie Harper

“I have been training with Kristy for many years, and she is the absolute best. This is not only because of her knowledge and passion for training, but she really loves and gets to know her clients individually. I have a very medically fragile daughter who depends 100% on me to meet her daily and living needs, so I am unable to step foot in public right now. My anxiety and stress levels have been triggered more and more lately, and I am so grateful to Kristy for providing me with home workouts each day. Not only do they help with my mental health, but she keeps me accountable and on track with my health and fitness goals, even during this difficult time.” — Jenn Morash

“Until I had to stop attending the gym due to COVID-19, I didn’t realize how much working out with Kristy Agan and my gym family contributed to my overall mental health. The comradery of the people I work out with and Kristy at the helm provided much more than a “workout “. As soon as I heard she was opening back up, I did not hesitate to return as I knew she was going to take the strictest precautions to protect us. Although she provided online workouts, returning to the gym was a relief mentally and felt like a big family reunion!!” — Emily Kitchens

“Thank you for a great workout this morning! I’ll admit I was nervous but after seeing the precautions and small group I felt better. I would not have gone to just any gym, and that’s the beauty of KA. I know the small group of people, I know you and I know we are all trying to be safe and sensible.” — Jennifer and Andy Bressette

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Kristy is a Senior RKC and PCC Instructor with DragonDoor. She also owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, GA where she is joined by her husband, Joe Agan (PCC, RKC, HKC) and Donna Martin (HKC, RKC).

You can follow Kristy on Instagram & Twitter @kristyagan and Facebook @Kristy.Agan.Trainer. And don’t forget to follow KA Athletics on Facebook, Instragram, and Twitter @ka_athletics to stay updated on gym events.

5 Important Considerations For At-Home Kettlebells Workouts

May 20, 2020 By Joe Boffi Leave a Comment

As a co-founder of Catalyst SPORT in NYC, I’ve been exposed to many different people—people just like you.

One of the most common questions I get from both fitness professionals and enthusiasts is, “What is the best piece of equipment I can buy for a home workout?” Being a long-time martial artist, athlete, and strength coach, I have used a plethora of exercise equipment (in the gym and at home). Without a doubt, my answer is always a KETTLEBELL.

With that choice, I wanted to add my top five things to consider for kettlebell workouts at home.

Space & Obstructions:

A significant concern for effective in-home workouts is the amount of physical space required. But, the beauty of using a kettlebell instead of something like a 7.2’ barbell is that you don’t need much space for most of the exercises in your repertoire. If you can lay on your floor with your arms stretched out over your head, you have enough space to do most kettlebell exercises. This much space will be enough for swings, cleans, squats, and most variations of those movements.

To set up for a swing based exercise, I like to consider whatever object (such as a wall or bookcase) which may be confining my space. I walk up to the wall with my arm and hand extended. When my fingertips touch the object, I take a big step back. I’ve now verified that I have the minimum required space in front of me for swinging a kettlebell.

Next, I need to make sure I have enough room behind me for the backswing. To do this, I turn around in place, then reach forward with my arm and fingers. If I cannot touch anything, I have enough space for backswings. Now, you can turn back around and safely swing, clean, and squat away!

Practicing kettlebell snatches requires one more overhead measurement. If you’re a tall person and have low ceilings (or you just aren’t sure), I would always recommend to err on the side of caution and be precise by making an actual measurement. You’ll need a kettlebell, a helper, a tape measure, and a chair. Stand with your arm overhead and your hand open (fingertips facing upward). Have your helper stand on the chair behind you and measure the distance from your middle finger to the ceiling. Record that number. Now measure the height of your kettlebells. Place your kettlebell on its base and measure the height of the bell from the floor to the top of the handle. Comparing your first measure and the height of your kettlebells. Any kettlebell that measures at least an inch or two shorter than the first number you recorded will give you enough clearance to do snatches.

Normally, this should provide you with plenty of extra space overhead, but make sure there are no light fixtures or any obstructions hanging down from the ceiling in the path of your snatch. I always say, better safe than a hole in your ceiling.

Finally, what about the get-up? This one is pretty easy. Lay on the floor and open your legs more than 45 degrees on both sides, then reach your arms out straight from your sides. If you don’t touch or kick anything, then you’re good! Reaching your arms out entirely to the sides may not be necessary, but if you lose control of the kettlebell, you’ll be at less risk of putting a hole in your wall. Next, you need to measure the space above you by standing up with your arm overhead and your hand in a fist. If you don’t touch the ceiling, you have enough room.

Floor Surface:

You may not have too many floor options in your home, but here are some ideas to keep in mind. Generally, any exercise you do standing, you can do on a hard surface like wood, stone, or tile. A hard surface to stand on will give your brain feedback from your feet and the floor. You will also have a stable platform for producing maximal tension and force.

Remember, you are in your home. Try not to aggressively drag or plop your bell down on these surfaces because you may damage them. I suggest standing on the hard surface and placing an area rug, yoga mat, or towel on the floor in front of you; this can serve as a runway for you to start and park your bell.

If you have a room that has a hard rug, this will work as well. My living room (where I do my home workouts) is a hard-packed rug.

It’s a good idea to avoid very thick and squishy rugs. These surfaces make finding the stability you need for a safe workout a difficult, and the feedback from the ground to your feet and brain gets a little lost.

Sweat:

Be aware while working out on hardwood, linoleum, or any shiny floor, your perspiration will make the floor slippery. Have a hand towel ready to help clean up between sets. Conversely, working out on a rug won’t become slippery, but it is more difficult to clean up, so wiping yourself often and doing get-ups on a couple of mats is a good option.

Shake, Rattle & Oops:

When we are doing ballistic movements like swings, cleans, and snatches, we are producing a lot of force right into the floor. In a structure like a house or an apartment, force travels through the floor and will cause items in your room or even rooms next to you to shake. I recommend doing a couple of reps and listening closely for anything that rattles. If you hear something rattle, move or secure that item. On two separate occasions, in two different apartments, I have rattled picture frames off the wall, and one of my wife’s little trinkets off a shelf.

Weight & Exercise Selection:

While working out in your home, choosing the right weight for you, the exercise, and your environment is extra important. I recommend using a weight that you really OWN—or possibly only slightly heavier—during an exercise, so that you don’t lose control or have to bail out of a movement.

The get-up provides an excellent example of why careful weight selection is essential for safe home workouts. Performing a get-up with a bell that is going to be a personal record (PR) or something that you’ve had extreme difficulty completing may not be the best idea at home. For one, you most likely won’t have a spotter, and second, if you do safely bail out, you will probably damage the floor and anything else in the surrounding area that the kettlebell hits. Ouch.

Similar rules apply for your exercise selections. Doing a V02 max style kettlebell snatch workout in your hallway is not a good idea. Remember that unsafe slippery sweat I mentioned before? You probably will not have enough time to catch your breath, let alone responsibly clean up sweat on the floor or yourself. If you lose the kettlebell because of your max output, then where will it go?

Now don’t get me wrong, I want you to work hard and do swings, snatches, and get-ups. I am just telling you to be smart about your weight and exercise selection. If you can workout outside in your yard, then go HAM! But if you are in your hallway or living room, just dial it back a little.

Working out at home is an excellent alternative to the gym. It may seem like you don’t have enough space or equipment, but all you need is a little guidance (which hopefully this article provided) and a kettlebell.

Be safe, aware of your surroundings, and work hard.

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Joe Boffi, RKC Team Leader can be contacted at Joe@catalystsport.com. For more in-depth guidance from Joe for your workouts, sign-up for Catalyst’s Online Programming.

8 Essential Kettlebell Exercises for Hikers

May 1, 2020 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

Kettlebell Get-up William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader

With summer right around the corner and hikers getting ready to hit the trails, it’s important that we maintain our strength to enhance our time trekking. Hiking can be an exhausting hobby that demands a great amount of strength and conditioning. Using these eight kettlebell exercises will help you set yourself up for a great hiking season.

Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is a great exercise to help with conditioning the body for those long treks. Using the kettlebell swing as a conditioning tool will help build up the lung capacity needed for the trails.

William Sturgeon Kettlebell Swings

Goblet Split Squat

Hiking is a unilateral sport, meaning we are working one leg at a time. The goblet split squat is going to help strengthen your quads to face those tall hikes.

Kettlebell Press

Trekking poles can be a great tool to use when hiking, but they may also require a little more upper body strength. Practicing the kettlebell press will help you strengthen your shoulders.

Single Arm Row

Carrying a backpack around for long periods of time can take a toll on the upper back. Using the kettlebell row will help your posture and strengthen your back.

William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader - Kettlebell Rows

Single Deadlift

The single leg deadlift will help strengthen your ankle and glutes. This greater stability can help reduce injuries on the trail.

William Sturgeon RKC Team Leader, one leg kettlebell deadlift

Kettlebell Get-Up

Being on the trail all day long while carrying a bag can be very taxing, use the Get-Up to help build a stronger core from all angles.

Halo

The halo is a simple kettlebell exercise for creating greater shoulder mobility. This will help you when climbing and/or carrying your bag.

Kettlebell Half Kneeling Stretch

Ankle and calves can get really tight from long treks. Be sure to use this exercise to help mobilize the joint and stretch the muscle.

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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

4 Standards To Master The Kettlebell Swing

February 27, 2020 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

To begin learning how to perform a kettlebell swing, you must master the most fundamental movement of the exercise—the hip hinge. Learning how to properly hip hinge, hike pass, deadlift and perform a dead-stop swing will set you up for guaranteed success with the kettlebell swing.

Master Your Hinge:

The foundation of the kettlebell swing is built off a strong hip hinge. When you are able to teach your clients how to optimally use their hips, they will get the full benefits for the proper muscles used in the swing. You will also keep your clients safe and reduce their exposure to injury.

Use these coaching cues:

Start in a tall & tight position with your feet shoulder width apart.
Have a slight bend in your knees.
Reach your hips back.
Drive your hips forward and stand tall.

Master Your Hike Pass:

The next step in the kettlebell swing is to master the hike pass. This motion begins to teach you the momentum of the swing. Learning the hike pass teaches you how to properly propel the kettlebell behind you. The back of the hike pass shows you what the bottom position of the kettlebell swing looks like.

Use these coaching cues

Get into your hip hinge.
Tilt the kettlebell towards you and break the handle in half.
Sit into your hips and toss the bell high into the thigh.
Keep your chest up & eyes forward.

Tilt the bell towards you and break the handle in half.

Sit into your hips and toss the bell high into the thigh.

Master Your Deadlift:

Next is the deadlift. When teaching the deadlift, you are helping your client understand how to properly load the hips. The deadlift teaches you to snap the hips and fully lock out at the top. This is important because this teaches how you should be at the top of the swing.

Use these coaching cues

Start with the kettlebell between your feet.
Go into your hip hinge.
Break the handle in half.
Punch your feet into the ground and snap your hips forward.

Snap the hips and fully lock out at the top.

Master Your Dead Stop Swing:

The last step in mastering the kettlebell swing is the dead stop swing. Mastering the dead stop swing puts all of the other steps into one. You begin by starting in a hip hinge position, next you go into your hike pass, and lastly you go into your dead lift. Each rep is initially starting the swing back over and enforcing all the skills you have learned prior to this step.

Use these coaching cues

Start in your hike pass position.
Toss the bell back.
Explode through the hips and let the bell float up.
Wait for the bell to push your hips back and park the bell.

Explode through the hips and let the bell float up.

To get the most out of your swing and master the basics, review and practice each of these steps.

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Putting the Power into the Power Swing

January 2, 2019 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

Kristy Agan RKC Team Leader Power Kettlebell Swing

When I was introduced to kettlebells in 2006, how to start the kettlebell swing was not something that I was taught. Upon entering the world of RKC, I learned the importance of the beginning of the swing. I was amazed by the instant improvement in my technique from solely focusing on how I started my swing. After all, the start of the swing is where we generate all of our power. If we don’t learn how to begin the swing, then we only end up with terrible looking, inefficient swings. In this blog post, I want to specifically discuss the power swing, sometimes known as the dead start swing. The power swing is a drill that I love to use in my own training and with my clients. Unfortunately, and even after a workshop, it’s easy to forget this humble but effective drill. So, we should revisit and use it that much more in our training.

What is a Power Swing?

In short, it is the “hike to stand” and “back to the start” portions of the swing, repeated for reps.

The power swing is super effective for teaching solid swings because it:

Teaches and reinforces the “hinge” and “back swing”.
Teaches us to create “pulling” power from the lats.
Strengthens the hike to stand portion of the swing—which is where all the power for the rest of our swings in the set comes from.
Increases strength in the hamstring & glutes—much like deadlifts and power cleans.
Correct posture issues in the start position, or will very quickly reveal weaknesses that need to be addressed ASAP to avoid potential injury.
Crosses over to stronger lifts, specifically the barbell deadlift.
Carries over into stronger plyometric movements such as jumping and sprinting, making it essential for athletes.
Teaches a strong start of the swing leading to stronger cleans and snatches.

The power swing can be taught to and used with clients when they are just learning or even struggling with their technique. I like to use “fast and loose” intervals for active recovery when teaching the power swing. It keeps my clients moving, but allows extra recovery time for the hips, hamstrings, and glutes.

If you have clients who especially need to work on their mobility, try super sets of power swings with a mobility drill. They’ll be able to address the mobility issues revealed during their practice sets.

Here are some examples of mobility drills to super set with power swings:

If the client has a rounded back, use the wall hinge drill or thoracic bridge.
If the client doesn’t finish through with their hips at top of the swing, superset with the RKC hip flexor stretch, bridge, or frog stretch.
If the client pulls the kettlebell up with their shoulders instead of snapping their hips, superset the power swings with the towel drill.

How to Teach the Power Swing

Set hike position
Swing once and return to start

Repeat up to 10 rounds depending on the client’s fitness level and technique issues. Add in mobility and/or corrective drills between rounds as necessary.

For high performing clients, you can turn power swings into a grueling strength workout by increasing rounds and/or number of reps per round. Be sure to design the workout with the safety and skill level of the client or group in mind.

In the video below, I purposefully selected a wide range of clients to show how a power swing routine can work for a group with a variety of fitness levels—which most trainers will see any given day. The clients in the video range in age from 18 to 62. Both men and women are following the routine. The group also includes a breast cancer survivor, a client who had hip labrum surgery, a few HKC certified instructors, and a few beginners who learned to swing kettlebells only a week before this video. The finisher in the video is also suitable for a mixed group. Obviously, I can make it much harder for my advanced clients, but for the sake of this video I kept it simple. We focused on the power swings with a few short breaks.

***The workout in the video below is only for clients who have demonstrated they can perform a solid kettlebell deadlift and have been introduced to the swing***

For more specialized groups—martial artists, youth athletes, advanced adults, pair higher rep (or heavier kettlebell) power swings with tougher movements such as burpees, full bridges, advanced push-up variations, renegade rows, heavy kettlebell floor presses, fast & loose drills, and/or sport specific drills.

Below is a short clip of my husband and I demonstrating a ladder routine with power swings and push-ups. Before you begin the routine, line up three kettlebells from light to heavy. Perform three swings with the light kettlebell, two swings with the middle kettlebell, one swing with the heavier kettlebell, and finally one push-up. Each round, increase the push-up reps each round. Set a timer for ten minutes and see how many rounds you can do well. It’s simple, but effective.

Our swings are only as good as the power we are able to create from the ground up. Just like with any sport, teaching and drilling the fundamentals are how star athletes are born. When we forget the fundamentals, we lose our edge. The power swing is a fundamental element many of us are missing in our Hardstyle kettlebell training. It’s time to go back to the fundamentals that made us the solid RKC instructors we are today. It’s time to practice the power swing!

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RKC Team Leader Kristy Agan is also a PCC Instructor, American Council of Exercise (ACE) and TRX qualified personal trainer. She owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, Georgia. Kristy also maintains an online training business kristyagan.com. Follow Kristy on Instagram @kristyagan and Twitter @kristyagan or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Kristy.Agan.Trainer

Three Ways to Reinforce Tension

October 24, 2018 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

William Sturgeon Kettlebell Swing

We commonly coach our clients to create tension with cues such as “brace the core”, “tighten the glutes”, “crush the handle”, etc. These phrases can help get clients to create tension in their lifts. You may see the specific group of muscles tighten, or a change in your client’s face when you ask them to create more tension.

Deconditioned clients are often unable to create tension through a specific area at first. It’s important that we spend time teaching them certain drills and use different cues to help them find the ability to create tension. It can be challenging to teach people how to apply tension during a lift.

Why Reinforcing Tension is an Important Skill to Practice and Teach:

Tension Keeps You Safe
Ballistic movements like the kettlebell swing require that we move rapidly—and if the movement is done incorrectly it can lead to injury. Kettlebells are not unsafe tools—users with bad technique are unsafe. Placing an emphasis on stressing the muscle with tension will allow you and your clients to work on technique without irritating the joints as much.

Tension Builds Strength
Your muscles recognize tension, not load—this is why we should focus on contracting the muscle before and during the exercise. Using “time under tension” (TUT), you can stimulate the muscle for greater growth. The denser the muscle, the stronger the body. Producing more tension throughout your lifts can also help generate more force.

Tension Stimulates Muscle Growth
Creating mechanical tension is one the of the primary factors associated with muscle growth. Mechanical tension is created by stressing the muscle throughout its full range of motion during an exercise. The phrase “time under tension” (or ‘TUT’ as referenced in the paragraph above) relates to the amount of time we’re stressing the muscle during an exercise. The more tension created during an exercise, the more muscle that will be recruited to perform the task. In turn, this gives the muscle a greater growth stimulus.

Drills That Teach How to Create and Reinforce Tension:

Hardstyle Plank
The RKC Hardstyle plank is the traditional plank’s older, much cooler brother. While a traditional plank is good for teaching a client to engage or brace their core, the client can still perform it poorly or fall short of the correct amount of tension we are looking to create. The Hardstyle plank creates a lot more tension than a regular plank. Most regular planks are held for 30 seconds or more, but the more intense Hardstyle plank is held for a much shorter amount of time maximizing the body’s full strength potential.

How to perform the Hardstyle Plank:

Isometrics
During isometric exercises, the muscle tenses but its length remains the same. A good example of an isometric exercise is an RKC drill we use to help pry open the hips. We place the client in the bottom position of a kettlebell goblet squat, then ask them to create a great amount of tension while forcing “prying” the hips out—all while keeping the hips in place. This powerful drill can help your clients find their glutes while understanding the amount of tension they need to create at the top position of their squat.

How to Perform an Isometric Hip Prying Drill

Time Under Tension
Time under tension is one of the greatest tools for helping our clients create or reinforce tension. Coach the client through a “grind” exercise—such as a kettlebell press—during a set amount of time. The kettlebell press can be performed and progressed in many ways, though most people will immediately want to just increase the weight. But, if we apply “time under tension” to the kettlebell press, we can make a lighter kettlebell feel far heavier. This can help a client spend more “time under tension” while safely finetuning their technique.

The Time Under Tension Kettlebell Press

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William Sturgeon, 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

Beyond the See-Saw Press: Two New Variations

August 8, 2018 By Nick Collias Leave a Comment

Z-Saw Kettlebell Press Nick Collias
Some lifts just never feel quite right, no matter how hard we try to force them to do so. Others are a willing dance partner from the first rep. And from the first time I tried it, the see-saw press just felt right.

Unlike the single-arm press, which took months (er, years) to share the ideal groove, the see-saw offered it up instantly. And because it’s a rhythmic push with a bit of a pull (or an eccentric push that feels like a pull), it demands that all manner of anterior, posterior, lateral, and deep core muscles get in the game of tug-o-war. Any experienced RKC can tell you that this extra activation usually allows you to get 2-3 extra reps, maybe more, with any given weight than what you’d manage with either single-arm or double-arm presses.

That translates to extra strength, extra volume, extra activation, and extra-efficient training. Extra awesome.

Those are all reasons to try the see-saw press. But they’re also reasons to explore different variations of the movement. Here are two variations that have quickly become my two favorite presses, period.

To be clear, I make no claim to inventing either of them. Somebody else probably did long ago. I just happened across them in my training, picked them up, and am now passing them along.

Z-Saw Press

This is nothing more than a seated see-saw press in a straddle position, or what is known as a Z-press. But that alteration changes the lift dramatically.

What I dig about it:

Sure, it brings the wicked shoulder pump, but it also ties in more total upper body musculature than any press I’ve tried—even more than the standing see-saw press. All the postural muscles of the upper back light up, but so does the core. When those groups are both working hard, I know I’m doing something right.
Lumbar hyperextension is pretty much impossible with this lift. Not so with the standing see-saw. This makes it a great way to work around an achy lower back, or just one, like mine, that just doesn’t like to work hard early in the morning when I tend to train.
No clean is needed. That’s not an advantage or disadvantage; it’s just a feature of the lift. This means it lends itself more cleanly to an upper/lower split, if you prefer that approach.
Perhaps because the upper back and core are so integrated, I find it also lends itself better than other press variations to grinding out a few hard reps at the end of a set, while still being safe on the shoulder joint.

This is one reason why I like it with a DeLorme Protocol-style approach:

10 reps light, or around half of 10RM
10 reps medium, or about .75 of 10RM
10 reps with more or less a 10RM

Z Saw Kettlebell Press Side view Nick Collias — Look forward or look up; either way, your postural muscles and pressing muscles will both work overtime.

Keeping a set at a 10RM or lighter also keeps you from having to figure out how to get two seriously heavy bells into position. Just curl it up and go.

One more technique note: In a recent email, Master RKC Andrea Du Cane mentioned that she recommends most people—men in particular—sit on a yoga block or something similar during Z-press variations, because otherwise they often struggle achieve a neutral pelvis and spine position on the ground. Me, I like something about half to two-thirds yoga block-height, like one of those hardcover college textbooks you haven’t done anything with in a long time. The Modern Library edition of Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans is just about perfect.

Swollias Press

This movement took on my nickname at work (I do work at Bodybuilding.com, after all), simply because I’d never seen it before, and the nomenclature alternatives are all pretty complicated. “Alternating see-saw kettlebell thruster,” anyone? No thanks. Let’s go with Swollias.

As with the Z-saw, this isn’t a new lift so much as it is a combination of existing ones. Here’s how to do it:

Clean a pair of kettlebells, either from a dead stop or with a swing. You can do it with two matching weights, or two uneven ones. It works great with both.
Perform a single front squat, and on the way up, press one of the kettlebells up while keeping the other in the rack.
Lower the top bell into the rack. A second clean is optional here.
Squat again, and on the way up, press the other bell. You can then set the kettlebells down and shake it off before going again, or you could keep piston-pumping reps as long as you want.

What’s the advantage? Well, having a bell in the rack means you’re forced to keep an upright torso and tight core. I like the single-kettlebell thruster, but find it can get a little sloppy and forward-leaning under fatigue. This variation holds a little firmer, in my experience.

"Swollias" Kettlebell Combo Sequence Nick Collias — Lots of cleans, lots of squats, lots of time in the rack. What more do you want?

On the flipside, it doesn’t require the same level of thoracic mobility as a double-kettlebell press or thruster, and once again, lumbar hyperextension is hard to slip into with this variation. Definitely not so with the double kettlebells.

With heaver weight, I like to treat these as a little mini-complex, kind of like Dan John’s “Armor-building” complex of two cleans, one press, and three squats. One round of clean, squat, press, clean (optional), squat, press every 30 seconds, or on the minute, is a great routine. Do it for 10-20 minutes, and it adds up to lots of cleans, lots of squats, lots of time in the rack.

Alternately, you could use a lighter weight, up the reps, and just see what cries “Uncle” first.

How To Use These Lifts

There’s a time to train like you’re chasing something—say, a half-bodyweight press for an RKC-II certification—and there’s a time to train like you’re not. And when I’m not chasing, I like to mix my presses up. A lot.

For the last few months, my favorite way to do this is to use Dan John’s press and suspension strap circuit from this article on Bodybuilding.com as a template, and swap out press variations based on whatever feels good that day. Both of these press variations have been regulars in the batting order.

Don’t confuse this with “program hopping,” that oft-maligned symptom of exercise ADD. The parameters and the basic movement patterns don’t change much; just the specifics do. If I want to change every workout, fine. If I want to do the same thing for three weeks, fine.

This approach keeps me excited to train, allows me to sneak into moderate rep PRs regularly, but also allows—or maybe forces—me to learn and explore new lifts, either those that I see out in the world, or that I cook up on my own in a moment of living room inspiration. These are two of the latter. Enjoy!

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Nick Collias, RKC-II, PCC, is the executive editor at Bodybuilding.com, and the host of the Bodybuilding.com Podcast. You can read and hear more of his work at Bodybuilding.com.

Rubik’s Get-Up

May 2, 2018 By Annie Vo Leave a Comment

Annie Vo Get-Up Rubiks Cube
When I first learned to perform a get-up, I was unsure of its purpose. It seemed almost like a series of random movements, ultimately resulting in getting off the floor. Of course, being able to get off the floor safely has its advantages, but even when progressing with resistance, it was still somewhat of a mystery to me.

Sometimes in order to understand new information, it is helpful to liken it to something old. The use of analogies in teaching has been shown to have a positive impact on the way we process new data. Analogies foster learning by highlighting the similarities between what we already know and that which we seek. The mind is complex.

Over the years I have come to think of the get-up like a Rubik’s Cube.

The Rubik’s Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Erno Rubik. Originally called the Magic Cube, the goal is to align all of the color-coded squares on each side through a series of pivots. The shifts of the cube are smooth, tracking on an internal core track until the final destination is reached. The cube is considered incomplete if the sides are not aligned appropriately.

Although it is widely misreported that Dr. Rubik created “the cube” to be a teaching tool to help his students understand 3-D objects, his actual purpose was to solve the structural problems of moving parts independently—without the entire mechanism falling apart! In many ways, the get-up has the same goal.

Each movement in the get-up is a pivot from the body’s core joints—the hips and shoulders. The pivoting should be smooth. Once the position is established, all “sides” of the get-up cube should also be aligned. The spine must be straight throughout the get-up. The body’s center of gravity must be balanced between the limbs. The angles of the hips and shoulders positioned to provide maximum support and stability. Each limb, joint and muscle must be arranged and coiled underneath the weight overhead to create a solid foundation.

As you develop your technique, you are likely to discover information about how you move, including strengths and weakness, balances and imbalances, and which areas should be developed. Your get-up is your sculpture. It is constantly evolving. The way you perform each pivot, swivel and shift can reveal or obscure what is truly beneath the surface. If you rush it, then you’ll miss the point.

As a Senior RKC Instructor, I’ve had the privilege of teaching the get-up to hundreds of coaches and kettlebell enthusiasts, spanning a multitude of backgrounds. Throughout my tenure, I’ve noticed that there are three common places in the get-up where symmetry and alignment tend to get neglected, even among experienced get-uppers. Here they are:

Initial Shift to the Elbow

The get-up begins in a lying position and is initiated by rolling up to your (unloaded) side. It is to be performed without any jerking or momentum. Imagine your trunk is one unbending steel rod that must be adjusted by wedging between the hip and shoulder. The result is a straight, stacked vertical line from the ground to overhead—a track as clear as the pathway of a Rubik’s Cube’s axis.

However, often the shoulder of the planted arm is forgotten in the pursuit of this vertical line, and sags forward. This is usually the result of not knowing how to find the alignment, and overcompensating. In short, it may feel like it’s lined up but it isn’t. If this is the case, there is unnecessary pressure on the front of the shoulder. To avoid this, make sure to preserve your vertical line by employing the support of the greatest shoulder stabilizer you have—the lat.

Problem shoulder position—Shoulder is rounded and relaxed.

Proper shoulder position—Shoulder is aligned and lat is packed.

Shift to the “Tall Sit”

When moving from the elbow to the straight arm seated position, the support shoulder has a tendency to rotate forward, therefore “exposing” itself and falling out of alignment. The support arm is arguably the most important part of the “tall sit” portion of the get-up because it determines whether you will be able to support your overhead weight (and bodyweight) while your legs swing under you. The support arm (and opposite leg) are responsible for supporting the body as it is lifted and rotated like a Rubik’s Cube.

To perform this transition with the greatest mechanical advantage, make sure your shoulder is in line with your planted hand and also rotated back and down, to ensure that the lat muscle is engaged.

Problem shoulder position—Shoulder is rounded forward.

Proper shoulder position—Shoulder is rounded back and in line with the hand.

Leg Sweep (both directions)

From the “tall sit” position, rotate your leg under your body, and place your knee on the ground. Sometimes people don’t bring the leg far enough under, on the way up. Remember, the angle of your hips should be roughly 90 degrees. Picture how difficult it would be to twist Dr. Rubik’s contraption if its sides were unaligned.

Conversely, a common mistake on the way down is to place the supporting hand (rather than the knee) out of alignment. It’s important to keep your grounded hand extended just beyond the knee. A visible, vertical line should begin from the grounded hand, up through both shoulders, and overhead, ending in the kettlebell held firmly at the top.

Problem knee position—The knee is not drawn underneath far enough creating a less than 90 degree angle at the hip.

Problem hand position—The hand is placed out of alignment from the knee.

Proper hand, knee, shoulder alignment—Hips are at 90 degrees and a vertical line is created from grounded hand to KB.

These are time-tested tips to help improve your get-up. You’d be surprised how often revisiting these basics can help improve overall performance. Do not lose sight of the fact that your training is constantly evolving and never be afraid to revisit your foundation.

“Mind the edges of the cube or else Hell will literally break loose”

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Annie Vo, Senior RKC, PCC Team Leader is a personal trainer, fitness writer and presenter in New York City. Contact her through her website annievo.com.

How to Effectively “Cue” a Client

March 7, 2018 By Angelo Gala Leave a Comment

Angelo Gala coaching

We all know that communication skills can make or break any relationship. As a coach, you may possess all the knowledge in the world about progressions, regressions, proper loading parameters and rest intervals. But, if the delivery of the material is not understood, your good intentions may fall short. You may even lose an excellent client to a less experienced but more articulate coach. As a coach, learning how to effectively communicate your skillset with your clientele during a training session is paramount.

It’s very easy to get lost in the journey of finding THE magic word that connects with everyone for a particular movement. Let’s first acknowledge that we will never find the perfect way to communicate proper movement mechanics because everyone absorbs new material and ideas differently. A good cue is like a good pass in football. You can throw a “perfect” ball to someone only to watch it bounce right off their finger tips—and you can throw out a prayer that is ripped from the air and ran in for six points. At the end of the day, a good pass is a caught pass. The following are some guidelines that will keep you in the ball park and drive up your success rate.

3 Steps and 3 Articulations of a GREAT Movement “CUE”

If you are teaching a new movement to a single client or to a group (large or small), follow this sequence:

Demonstrate => Teach => Demonstrate

Demonstrate

Your first step is to name the movement or exercise, then immediately demonstrate the proper execution of the movement. Without doing this, you are assuming your clientele already speaks your language.

Teach – It’s as easy as 1,2,3….

Assume nothing, teach everything.

Avoid having your client(s) jump right into the full expression of the movement regardless of their experience levels. Break down the movement into smaller steps (progressions) that will later add up to the movement’s full expression. In the RKC School of Strength, we teach many progressions and regressions for the standard six movements of the Level 1 RKC curriculum.

As a gross generalization, women do a great job communicating what they are FEELING. But, men on the other hand tend to have a more difficulties. Because of this, I always teach coaches to EMBRACE their feminine energy (yes men, we have plenty of it) and to use their words. The more colorfully—but concisely—you can communicate what the client should be FEELING in a given position, the greater chance they have to follow your directions correctly. Imagine you are telling a fitness story. Give them all the gossip and get them excited about what’s about to happen.

Here is how to successfully deliver your material

Tell them and show them where they are going.
Give them clear and concise directions on how to get there.
Let them know how THEY can tell that they have arrived.

Angelo Gala Coaching Cues

My approach to cueing is to deliver the material so the client(s) see it, touch it and feel it. This covers the spectrum of how different people learn. First they visually SEE where I want them to go by demonstrating the skill. We may use tools like PVC pipes, bands or even my hands to TOUCH them, engaging their bodies to find the proper position. Then I ask them to connect to the position by observing or FEELING the internal signs and landmarks of proper alignment.

Demonstrate

Finally, you can pull I all together by demonstrating the proper execution of the movement again. A successful cueing progression through the 3 steps to teaching will often connect some dots previously missed in their first visual interpretation of the movement.

Next time you have the opportunity to teach a new skill or fine tune old skills, give this teaching progression a whirl and notice how the interpretation, execution, and retention of your clients’ skills sky-rocket!

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Angelo Gala is a Master RKC, PCC Team Leader and Co-Owner of EDX CrossFit in Lafayette, CO. He has been a fitness professional for over 15 years working day to day with a wide range of clientele. He helps the average “Joe” get fit and out of pain and prepares athletes to qualify and compete at the CrossFit Games. His specialties include improving restricted movement, getting strong(er) and energy system development. Angelo is available for remote coaching and on-site workshops. For scheduling he can be reached at angelo@edxcrossfit.com

Breathing, Backswings and Ballistics

December 13, 2017 By Ryan Jankowitz 3 Comments

I really love teaching others how to train with kettlebells; it’s what I’ve become most passionate about as a fitness professional. Whether online or in-person, I get a deep sense of satisfaction when a client learns a new movement or refines their technique.

Ryan Jankowitz 1-Arm Swing While it can be exhilarating to learn new kettlebell drills or refine your technique, retaining so much new information—and then applying it to your training can be daunting!

My goal with this post is to create a simple connection between all of the RKC ballistic exercises (swings, cleans, snatches) so that you can easily apply the same knowledge and techniques to all of the movements.

First, let’s start with the timing of the breath. Breathing is one of the most important functions of training and life. At the top of the swing, when the glutes and quads contract, a sharp exhalation is performed. This sharp exhalation helps to compress the midsection and direct more power into the kettlebell. Again, it is coordinated with the glutes and quads forcefully contracting.

The timing of the exhalation remains the same when performing a clean and a snatch. Although the kettlebell will still be traveling after the exhalation has occurred in both the clean and snatch, it still happens when the glutes and quads contract. The exhale acts almost like a rocket booster, propelling the kettlebell into the rack or overhead position with relative ease. If your exhalation occurs when the clean or snatch is in the finished position, then you’ve lost the benefit of the “rocket booster”.

The backswing is another important part of all ballistic movements—and it should be exactly the same from technique to technique. You should be able to smoothly transition from one movement to another without changing your backswing.

Ryan Jankowitz Kettlebell Backswing

Focus on these backswing concepts/tips for one-arm swings, cleans and snatches:

The handle of the kettlebell passes above your knees
Your forearm connects high up on your inner thigh
Your upper arm connects to your ribcage
Your hips flex to a greater degree than your knees
There is a slight internal rotation of the thumb
This is where you inhale
Spine is neutral

Ryan Jankowitz kettlebell clean

I hope these tips have given you some good “food for thought” for your training. If you experience an “aha” moment or were able to improve a technique, then drop me a line and let me know what you experienced.

Stay Strong,
Ryan Jankowitz, RKC-II

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Ryan Jankowitz, RKC-II Instructor, CK-FMS, is a life-long athlete who can’t imagine sitting behind a desk. He enjoys sharing his passion for fitness and spreading the RKC knowledge. Ryan provides online personal training for busy people who want to improve their health and kettlebell training for fitness professionals who want to refine their technique and/or train for a certification. He is available for private kettlebell workshops as well. You can reach him at ryan@rjkettlebell.com or through his website rjkettlebell.com. He also works with clients and teaches kettlebell classes at Fitness on the Run in Alexandria, Virginia. If you’re in the area, visit fitnessontherun.net and come swing some bells with Ryan.