Workout of the Week

RKC Big Six Workout

January 18, 2024 By Andrea Du Cane 1 Comment

The RKC is based on six main exercises that are tested using kettlebells based on weight classes. They include the Swing, Get-up, Clean, Squat, Press, Snatch. There are many other drills and corrective exercises covered during the workshop, but for testing purposes the Big-6 are the star for a reason. These six exercises comprise full-body functional strength and conditioning, that is unparalleled using minimal time and equipment.

The RKC Big Six:

The Big-6 include exercises of pulling, pressing, squatting as well as functional movement patterns like hinging, lunging, rolling, as well as shoulder stability and mobility. Every exercise is presented within the context of the principles of hardstyle training, posterior chain driven, power breathing and full-body recruitment.

The purpose of the RKC technique test, is about performing each exercise with perfect technique. The rep range of each set of exercises is enough to correctly demonstrate each drill using the principles of hardstyle strength.

Why not take the full-body strength and conditioning focus of the RKC Big-6 and put it into a short circuit? It is not only a great workout, but a perfect way to practice for the test.

At the RKC, we require participants to use their snatch size bell for testing. However, sometimes it is necessary for certain people to go a bit heavier to elicit the right technique. For example, it may be necessary to have a strong athlete test with a heavier bell for cleans or presses. If the bell is too light, they don’t need to maintain high tension during the set and end up “faking” it instead of using the principles of hardstyle strength.

For casual kettlebell enthusiasts, pick a load that works to produce the best technique possible. For instance, maybe go a little lighter for the get-up and snatch, and a little heavier for the cleans and swings.

Choosing the Right Kettlebell

Here are some guidelines for kettlebells sizes:

Men: 16kg to 24kg
Women: 8kg (18lb) to 16kg

Rest as needed, however the less rest you take between sets the more metabolic impact the workout will have.

When performing the grinds; presses, front squats, and get-ups, take your time. Think of it as a set of single-reps. Don’t rush your grinds.

Conversely, on your swings, cleans, snatches, don’t slow them down. That doesn’t mean rushing through the top of the swing, or the rack of the clean or the lockout of the snatch. The top of each rep is your “rest”, and don’t slow down at the backswing, drive up fast to hip-extension.

Starting with the get-up is a great strength and mobility warm-up and prepares you for the rest of the set. And I’ve added a set of double cleans for practice and conditioning.

The RKC Big Six Workout:

Get-ups: 1/1

Swings: 10/10

Cleans: 5/5

Presses: 5/5

Double Cleans: 5

Front Squats: 5

Snatches: 5/5

Repeat 3-4 times.

***

Andrea Du Cane is Director of Certifications for Dragon Door Publications, a Master Kettlebell Instructor, ACE-GF, ACE Senior Fitness Specialist, CK-FMS certified, TRX certified, CICS certified, RIST- ZHealth certified, and has a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She has written and produced two DVDs: The Kettlebell Goddess Workout DVD, a top selling Kettlebell DVD on Amazon.com and The Kettlebell Boomer. Her DVD, Working With Special Populations, was filmed at the RKC Level II. Her Ageless Body Book was released fall of 2011. She is a contributor to Fitness Trainer Magazine and Breaking Muscle Website and Coach’s Only Podcasts. She has published articles on Russian Kettlebells for Best Body Magazine and for Oxygen Magazine. She was a featured presenter for the annual 2018 AFS conferences in China. She has presented for the EMPOWER! Conferences held around the U.S since 2014. She has presented at the Dragon Door Health & Strength conferences, in 2015 & 2016. Andrea travels around the world certifying HKC & RKC instructors in Kettlebell training.

How to Most Effectively Use Kettlebells to Meet Your New Year Goals

January 3, 2023 By William Sturgeon 1 Comment

It’s that time of year again when most people are wanting to focus on getting back on track with their health and fitness goals. This includes people starting up new gym memberships and starting a workout plan that will help them accomplish the goals they’re setting.

The goals are typically going to be the similar. Some will work towards goals that change their body composition to either increase muscle mass or decrease body fat, while others will be focused on increasing strength or decreasing pain.

Either way your goals are going to need a tool to help you accomplish these tasks. That’s where kettlebell training can come in. The best part about kettlebell training is that you can either train with a coach in person or hire a coach online and train in the comfort of your own home. A professional will almost certainly help you be more successful in accomplishing your goals as a result of the wise guidance and the ongoing accountability.

Here are a few workouts that you can do using kettlebells to help you accomplish some of your goals for 2023!!

Decreasing Body Fat

If you have a goal to decrease body fat the first thing you need to do is find a variety of ways to measure your progress. Your body is not a machine and it will have days and weeks where things will fluctuate. Having a variety of different tools will help you maintain your mental health and keep you on track. My favorite ways of tracking this goal is seeing how clothes fit, taking monthly waist measurements, measuring body fat percentages, and seeing how consistent I am with my nutrition.

Your priority with this goal is to monitor your intake with habits that will help support your goal — the workouts will only help supplement the goal. Slightly decreasing your caloric intake will help you with decreasing your bodyfat because your body will be using your stored body fat as means of a fuel to help keep you energized throughout the day.

Decreased Body Composition Workout

Circuit Training 20-30 minutes

A1. Kettlebell Carries x:30 sec work/:30 sec rest

A2. Kettlebell Swings x:30 sec work/:30 sec rest

A3. Kettlebell Goblet Squats x:30 sec work/:30 sec rest

A4. Kettlebell Bent Rows x:30 sec work/:30 sec rest

A5. Kettlebell Thrusters x:30 sec work/:30 sec rest

Increasing Muscle Mass

If you have a goal of increasing your body composition by adding more muscle mass to your body then the goal will be to go into a caloric surplus. Increase the amount of meals you’re eating in the day or increase the amount of food you are eating in the day. Either way, as long as you are increasing the calories to supplement your goals this will help you achieve them. Aside from increasing your caloric intake, your training will need more volume and time under tension to increase the size of your muscles. This means more sets and using eccentric tempos or other variations to challenge the body.

Increased Body Composition Workout

Density Training 30-40 minutes

A1. Turkish Get Up x1 rep on each side

A2. Ratchet Set Kettlebell Front Squat x5 reps (down all the way, ¼ way up then back down, then ½ way up back down, then all the way up)

A3. Eccentric Kettlebell Deadlift x6 reps (4 seconds down)

A4. Isometric Single Arm Rows x8 reps (2 second pause at top)

A5. 1.5 rep Double Arm Kettlebell Press x6 reps (half way up, back down, all the way up

Increasing Strength

Similar to increasing your body composition, building strength requires the body to increase its caloric intake to supplement the training you will be doing. Strength training requires a greater intensity with the loads you are using and needs lower repetitions. This allows for the body to use sub-max weight in lower rep volumes. Using more sets with lower reps and variations such as ladder sets or plus sets help accomplish this goal.

Increased Strength Workout

Strength Training

A1. KB Split Squat 5 sets of 5 reps

A2. KB Bent Row 5 sets of 8 reps

A3. KB Halos 5 sets of 3 reps each direction

B1. Double Arm Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift 5 sets of 5 reps each side

B2. Kettlebell Bottom Up Press 5 sets of 5 reps each side

B3. Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch 5 sets of 3 breathes each side

C1. Kettlebell Swings 5 sets of 10 reps

Decreasing Pain

Most of us are going to be dealing with some sort of current or past injury that has limited daily tasks such as going up and down stairs, carrying groceries into the house, getting up and off the floor, tight low back or shoulders limiting us from other activities in the day.

When it comes to anything that is causing sharp pain speak with a medical professional to get their expert advice to see what is causing the pain. If it’s dull and achy, proceed with caution and make recommendations to see manual therapy or other modalities that will give your client relief. At my gym, Restored Strength, we primarily work with people who are overcoming or needing help overcoming old or current injuries. Here’s how we work with those clients to help them move and feel better while increasing their strength and endurance.

Restorative Strength Training

A1. Half Kneeling Kettlebell Halo 3 sets of 3 reps each direction

A2. Kettlebell Goblet Squat/Elevated KB Goblet Squat 3-4 sets of 4-8 reps

A3. Single Arm Kettlebell Row/Assisted Single Arm Kettlebell Row 3-4 sets of 4-8 reps each side

B1. Kettlebell Hip roll 3 sets of 3 reps each direction

B2. Kettlebell Deadlift/RDL 3 sets of 6-10 reps

B3. Half Kneeling Kettlebell Press/Half Press 3 sets of 4-8 reps each side

There are a wide variety of tools and exercises you can use to help you accomplish your goals for this year. The biggest thing to remember is that you have plenty of options — but take into consideration that one of the most effective options to use is a kettlebell, because of its extreme versatility.

***

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

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

November 12, 2021 By Dan John 2 Comments

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

Four Kettlebell Workouts to Maximize Fat Loss

August 21, 2020 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

As coaches, instructors or personal trainers, our clients often come to us for help with a fat loss goal. And while there are many ways that we can help our clients achieve their goals, the most important factor to consider for fat loss is nutrition.

There are no specific workouts that can help someone “out train” a bad diet. If someone is still consuming more calories than they are burning, then they will not receive the maximal training effect from a fat loss workout. But, once a client can change the way they eat, then they can really gain the most out of these workouts.

Once nutrition has been handled, strength training is the best way to help your clients lose weight and gain strength. Training in every plane of movement is important for sustaining optimal joint and muscle health. After the strength portion of the session, finish up with a conditioning workout such as the ones listed below. This approach will cater to your client’s specific weight-loss goal.

Here are four example workouts you can add at the end of your clients’ sessions to help with fat loss!

EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute)

Popularized in CrossFit training, EMOM stands for “Every Minute On the Minute”. This type of workout can even be done with one tool and one exercise. You can either work for a predetermined number of reps or for a time interval. If you choose a time interval, be sure to keep the work to rest ratio at 1:1 (30 sec on, 30 sec off) or 2:1 (40 seconds on, 20 seconds off).

Example:

10-15 minutes

Kettlebell Swings :20 seconds
Rest :40 seconds

Density Training

In fitness, density is the amount of work you do within a given time. With this training format, we are not as focused on the amount of weight lifted, or the speed we’re working. The focus is on completing the most amount of work during a set amount of time. This focus will help sustain a decent heart rate throughout the workout.

Example:

30 minutes

Kettlebell Snatch x5
Get-Up x1
Kettlebell Front Squat x6
Kettlebell Bent Over Row x8
Kettlebell See-saw Press x6
Thoracic Rotation x4

AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible)

Another workout popularized by CrossFit is AMRAP, which stands for “As Many Rounds as Possible”. An AMRAP workout can use any given number of exercises, but typically 2-5 exercises for a set amount of time. The goal is to move as quickly as possible while racing against the clock. Each week try to complete the same number of rounds or more as compared to the previous week. During the workout, the goal is to minimize rest and maximize the work.

Example:

10-15 minutes

Double Kettlebell Clean x5
Farmers Carry :30 seconds
Double Kettlebell Reverse Lunge x5

Circuits

Traditional circuit training is similar to HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training. A circuit can work a few different ways: station to station or exercise to exercise. The goal can be for reps or for time with each exercise. Often, exercises are grouped so that 2-4 exercises are completed per station, before switching to the next one.

Example:

10 min

Single Arm Swing x5
Single Arm Thruster x6

10 min

Goblet Squat x:20 sec
Single Arm Row x:15 sec

10 min

Two Hand Kettlebell Dead Bug x:20 sec
Single Arm Overhead Carry x:15 sec

When it comes to helping our clients achieve their weight-loss goals, we have to remember that it’s most important to address nutrition first. Then, we can choose from a variety of training approaches to reach their goals.

***

How To Work Out At Home With Your Kettlebell

July 13, 2020 By Ryan Jankowitz Leave a Comment

We are living in uncertain times right now, and it’s more important than ever to focus on our health and fitness. For better or worse, working from home does have its advantages. I haven’t missed commuting. And working from home has allowed me to get higher quality workouts as I now have more time each day.

Even though I just have a few kettlebells, but I’m still crushing my workouts and feel as strong as ever.

So, I wanted to share my workout formula, so you can experience the joy of kettlebell training at home—even if you only have one kettlebell. I didn’t invent this formula, but it has worked time after time for me and my clients. We will be doing total body workouts to save time and to promote general athleticism.

The simplest way to design full body workouts is to choose a pulling and a pushing exercise. This also creates balance and symmetry. We can get more creative by dividing the pushing and pulling into upper and lower body so that we’ll have upper body pulling, lower body pulling, upper body pushing and lower body pushing.

Pulling and Pushing Exercise Examples

Upper Body Pulling:

Kettlebell rows
Kettlebell cleans
Kettlebell snatches

Lower Body Pulling:

Kettlebell deadlifts
Single leg deadlifts
Suitcase deadlifts
Kettlebell swing variations

Upper Body Pushing:

Push-ups
Military press
Get-ups (can also be used as a lower body pushing exercise)

Lower Body Pushing:

Goblet squats
Kettlebell front squats
Kettlebell lunges

These basic exercises can build a foundation of strength and athleticism and can be used in many different combinations to keep training fun.

The basic formula I use for creating workouts:

Warm-up for 5-10 minutes (get your heart rate up and muscles warm)

Strength Block One:
(3-5x Sets)

Lower body pulling exercise
Upper body pushing exercise
Core exercise

Strength Block Two:
(3-5x Sets)

Lower body pushing exercise
Upper body pulling exercise
Core exercise

Conditioning:
(choose one exercise or create your own combination)

Swings
Sprints
Jump Rope
Burpees
Jumping Jacks

Cool down (light stretching, easy walk)

This formula has served me and my clients well for years. I would love to hear about the workout combinations you create with this formula in the comments section below.

Stay Strong and Safe,
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. Schedule a free call with Ryan: https://go.oncehub.com/RyanJankowitz

Finish Your Training Session With The Kettlebell Squat Massacre

April 25, 2018 By Frank Delventhal Leave a Comment

Frank Delventhal's Kettlebell squat massacre

A great training session often ends with a crisp finisher to expend any extra energy. At the end of a recent session, my students weren’t very enthusiastic about doing Dan John’s “6 Minute Squat Challenge” (one goblet squat every 30 seconds and staying in the lower position during the break). I like Dan John’s finisher, but my students wanted something with more variety. One student commented that they’d “rather have something nice, like a mixed grill plate.” That inspired me to name their finisher “Katrins Grillteller.” (Grillteller is the German word for mixed grill plate.) When I asked them if they wanted to do the squat challenge or the “Grillteller,” the decided to choose the “Grillteller” since they didn’t know what it would be. Afterwards, they renamed it the Kettlebell Squat Massacre.

Requirements:

All participants should be proficient in the following squat variants: double kettlebell front squat, single kettlebell front squat and the goblet squat. Be sure to review the correct form for each move and ensure that everyone is safe to complete this intense workout finisher.

Directions:

Have everyone form a large circle. Since most people will accidentally decrease the size of the circle during this finisher, mark the boundaries of the circle with small items.

Each person should choose a kettlebell that they can squat with for many reps. When performing the finisher, everyone squats at the same time—down and up when the trainer instructs them to do so. When everyone is standing again while keeping their kettlebell in the rack position, they march to their next spot on the circle. When everyone is in place, everyone squats together again. If someone’s kettlebell gets too heavy, they should quickly get a lighter kettlebell and rejoin the group.

For groups of less than four people, it’s best to do two rounds, otherwise one round is often enough. Each squat should be held in the bottom position for at least one full breath. Of course longer is always more “efficient.” Staying in the bottom position of the squat for a longer duration is the first way to make the finisher more difficult.

Procedure:

Everyone squats and stands at the same time. When everyone is standing with their kettlebells held in the rack position, it’s time to move forward again. This finisher is not a race, so there is no reason to rush the movements . Be sure to remember where you started on the circle, so you know when one round is complete. If the group is struggling to stay synchronized, be sure that you are giving clear instructions so that everyone can follow your commands.

As a trainer, I like to join in with this finisher. Normally I only lead the training and do not train myself. But I have found that if a coach joins this grind, then everyone seems to be more motivated. If you are the trainer, be fair to your students and pick an appropriately heavy kettlebell. Show that you can do what you expect from your students. “Shared pain is half of the pain.” The goal is for everyone to safely reach their limits and still finish.

Kettlebell Squat Variations

Double Kettlebell Front Squat

Frank Delventhal Double Kettlebell Front Squat

In larger classes it’s not always possible for everyone to have two kettlebells, but this is a great variation when there are not too many people in the group. Fewer people also means that there will be fewer stations on the circle for this difficult squat variation.

Single Kettlebell Front Squat (Left Side)

Frank Delventhal Single Kettlebell Front Squat

Pay attention to the time spent in the squat. At first, participants can stay in the squat longer when they’re “fresh.”

Single Kettlebell Front Squat (Right Side)

As above. Adjust the time spent in the squat, so that all can still hold a correct position.

Goblet Squat

Frank Delventhal Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Since the lower position of the goblet squat is relatively easy to maintain (and also a good mobility exercise in itself), aim to stay longer in the squat. So that “nobody gets bored”, while holding the squat, I recommend trying a few “kettlebell curls” since the elbows are already on the inside of the thighs. When leading the finisher, I will do the following reps: 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1. Don’t overdo it. And if you can do more than three curls, the kettlebell you’ve chosen is too light for the squats!

Crawling

The kettlebells are placed inside in a circle, then everyone gets on all fours and crawl once around the circle. Knees do not touch the ground, and keep the torso parallel to the ground. Imagine that you’re a moving coffee table

(Evil) Cardio Variation

Replace each kettlebell front squat round with kettlebell thrusters.

Frank Delventhal Double Kettlebell Thrusters

For an cardio intensive version of this finisher for very fit participants, try double or single kettlebell thrusters instead of squats. To perform this movement, squat down with the kettlebell, then use the explosive power of your squat to continue through your arms, pressing the kettlebell overhead. Since the kettlebell is already in motion from the power of the squat, you can lift heavier weights overhead than with a strict military press.

After the kettlebells are thrusted overhead, lower the kettlebells back to the rack position under control, then walk to the next circle position. For an even more difficult variation, keep the kettlebells overhead (“waiter’s walk”) and walk to the next point before bringing the kettlebells down to the rack position. This challenging variation is a good way to strengthen the shoulders and the top position of the lockout.

For groups with mixed fitness levels, advanced students can opt to do the thruster variation. If it becomes too difficult, the student can just switch back to front squats and walking with the kettlebells in the rack position. Be safe and use common sense.

The Unspeakably Evil Variation:

If you do the double thruster variation, add left and right single kettlebell thrusters before doing a round with regular double kettlebell front squats. (This variation is a good way to see how stupid tough you are.)

Adjustments for making the difficulty easier or harder:

If your kettlebell becomes too heavy to maintain good form, get a lighter kettlebell and rejoin the group.
For a more difficult finisher, do more rounds for each squat variations
Adjust the time spent in the bottom of the squat position
Adjust the time spent in the rack position before squatting down
A larger circle is more difficult, a smaller circle can be easier
Replace front squat variations with thrusters (let the kettlebells sink back into the rack position and then continue)
- To increase difficulty when doing thrusters, leave the kettlebells overhead while moving to the next spot on the circle
Do goblet squats with or without “kettlebell curls” at the bottom of the squat
For masochists, plan to do thrusters before double kettlebell front squats

Video Example (In German)

Conclusion

This is a “delicious” finisher that can be customized and made to be challenging for anyone. Even though it may sound complicated, it is in fact quite simple:

Everyone gets kettlebells and stands in a circle. They squat together, then move to the next position on the circle. When you reach the point on the circle where you started, switch down to an easier squat variation. The last round is crawling. Enjoy your “meal” and let me know how you liked it!

The original article published in German: https://hamburg-kettlebell-club.de/kettlebell-blog/144-katrins-grillteller-aka-kettlebell-squat-massaker.html

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Frank Delventhal, RKC2, PCC, 1 Dan Aikido, performing strongman. Visit his website: https://hamburg-kettlebell-club.de/

The Happy Challenge

February 14, 2018 By Suzanne Bos-Betlem 6 Comments

Suzanne Bos-Betlem, RKC

Two things I am very passionate about are music and kettlebells. They both cheer me up incredibly and I cannot imagine my life without them. But, bring these two together… and that’s when the magic happens!

Music can be a great stimulus during a workout. It’s a powerful tool that can take your training to the next level. For quite some time, I’ve been looking for a good song-based kettlebell workout. I specifically looking for a cheerful tune—an upbeat song that could effectively brighten up your day. Even more importantly, I needed a song that would respect the kettlebell principles I strongly believe in. So, there would be no rushing or pushing through with sloppy technique, definitely no reps over form. I was looking for a happy song that would help you rather than hurt you while working with kettlebells. And I found it! The universe gave me…. “HAPPY”, the Pharrell Williams song that was released in 2013 and featured on the soundtrack of Despicable Me 2.

Here’s the workout I designed to go with the song, AKA The Happy Challenge:

Start off with double kettlebells in the rack position. This is your basic position throughout the song.

Each time you hear the word “Happy,” you perform a military press on one side. Alternate sides with each “Happy.”

No need to rush. The “Happy” part (including “clap along…”) allows plenty of time to press your kettlebell up and bring it back down to rack. That’s the beauty of the song!

Between the presses, maintain the basic position (double kettlebells in the rack position) solid and strong. At Trainingscentrum Helena, we also call this double kettlebell rack position the Trojan Pose.

At the song’s bridge, Pharrell sings “Bring me down”. When you hear this part, perform a double kettlebell front squat. This will come to eight squats in the first bridge and four more during the second.

At the end of the song (in just under four minutes) you will have done 24 military presses (12 on each side), 12 squats and a lot of static rack holds. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Give it go and let me know what you think in the comments below!

P.S. In my classes, I give my clients the option to switch to push-presses if they lose form on their military presses. If they fail a press entirely during the workout, I’ll tell them to put the kettlebells down and continue with “imaginary” heavy kettlebells.

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Suzanne Bos-Betlem is a PCC, RKC and Trojan Workout certified trainer in Haarlem, The Netherlands. In addition to bodyweight and kettlebell training, she is an enthusiastic Krav Maga practitioner and yoga-lover.

Get out of Your Kettlebell Rut with These Partner and Group Exercises

January 25, 2017 By Laurel Blackburn 2 Comments

Laurel Blackburn Kettlebell Partner Workouts

I started my fitness business, Boot Camp Fitness and Training in 2005, and I started Tallahassee Kettlebells shortly after my RKC 1 in 2009.

In that time, I have amassed many individual, partner, and group workouts. I still have the notebooks and binders full of workouts and exercises that I have used over the years. Even with these valuable resources, I still like to come up with new exercises or new ways to do old favorites. One of the things that keep my clients coming back year after year is the variety in our workouts.

In my experience, providing a variety of exercises and movements give my clients the results they want. Whether or not they come for fat loss, muscle gain, or to improve performance, movement, and health, the varied workouts and exercises we do fit the bill.

One of the things I pride myself on is creativity—I am very creative. Ask me for percentages or any other math and I’m going to look at you as if you were speaking Latin. But, give me a block of concrete and I’ll come up with ten different exercises.

Give me a pair of kettlebells and the possibilities are endless.

I’m sure many—or even most of you have your go-to exercises and workouts, too. I occasionally find myself going back to the same workouts and getting in a bit of a rut.

There is nothing wrong with the basics. You and your clients should be proficient with the basics like the deadlift, squat, and press variations before you get all fancy. You and your clients should also have good movement patterns and mobility before you start getting too crazy adding new things to our programs. Remember, everything is built on the basics.

In the video at the end of this post, I give you several partner workouts you can use in circuit training with a group or an entire class. Use these exercises to jump start your own creativity. You can add movements, change the reps, add a timer, do ladders or anything else you can come up with.

Partner Workout #1

Swing, Squat, and Pass

Partner A does one swing, one squat, and then uses a rotation pass to hand the kettlebell to partner B. Keep the abs tight!

Variations:

Add a rep to the swings and squats up to ten and back down to one.
Each person does a set number of reps before passing the kettlebell to their partner.
Set a timer, and each partner goes for a set amount of time before passing the kettlebell.
Add different movements each round for a chain. Example:

one swing, pass kettlebell
one swing, one squat, pass kettlebell
one swing, one squat, one two-hand press, pass kettlebell

Partner Workout # 2

Pullover, Triceps Extension, and Pass

Add reps each round
Add a one arm chest press before the pullover. Make sure to switch sides at the start of the next round. It will look like this: Partner one does chest press or presses on the right, five pullovers and five triceps extensions and pass the kettlebell. Partner does the same. Next round partner one starts with a chest press or presses on the left side.

Partner Workout # 3

Renegade Lunges

Do a forward lunge first before the reverse lunge pass.
Add reps to each set.
Partner on does a set amount of forward and reverse lunges before the kettlebell is passed.
Use different holds for the kettlebell such as racked or overhead before the pass.

Get creative and use these few exercise as a platform to come up with some new stuff for your and your clients.

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Senior RKC, Laurel Blackburn owns Boot Camp Fitness and Training and Tallahassee Kettlebells. Look for Laurel at www.bootcampstogo.com or www.tallahasseekettlebells.com.

In her early fifties, Laurel is out to prove that age is just a number. Her goal is to motivate and inspire people everywhere, both young and old that strength, flexibility and mobility can get better with age. Follow her adventures on her blog: www.SuperStrongNana.com.

Is Your Training Making You Better?

January 4, 2017 By Paul Britt, DC 6 Comments

Paul Britt's clients training Pullups

Why are you training? What is your goal? Is your goal to lose weight? Be stronger? Play better? Is your training working? If not, then you must re-evaluate your training and see what is keeping you from reaching your goal. Are you injured? Are you tired or sick? If so how did it occur and how do you get better? Why train in a way that does not make a positive difference in your life? You are exercising for a reason—it could be improved performance, fat loss, or even stress relief.

Do not just exercise on autopilot; keep the goal the goal. Keep the goal in the forefront of your thoughts. You must have your goals and visions in your daily operating system so that they are always present. This will allow you to adjust your plan, because when you are doing something that does not fit the goal, you know it. If what you are doing doesn’t make you better and move towards your goal, there is no real point in doing it. If you know what you are striving for, everything should lead you to that goal.

You need to look at your plan, evaluate where you are and ask yourself if it is working. If not, don’t despair, just look for alternatives in diet and exercise. No plan, pill or tool will be the magic answer. Try something, evaluate it and repeat until you find what puts you a step closer to your goals. Remember, “better is better.” A tiny improvement is still an improvement and it is a start.

You don’t always have to leave a “sweat angel”!

Do Not Train in Pain

Training in pain is just a faster way to the “Dark Side”! The only outcome you can expect when you train in pain is injury, compensation, and a failure to reach your goals. Unless you are peaking for a specific purpose—like an Olympic gold medal—then don’t go here. What benefit will be gained from injury? If there is pain, stay away from what causes it, and see your doctor. Stop training until released by your medical professional.

Have Fun!

I push myself hard all the time, but I always have fun with it. If you are not happy when training, you are missing all the benefits. If you are not happy or having fun, then exercise becomes “just another thing I have to do”. It should be a positive experience that you look forward to. I try to make my training fun and enjoyable. If it is something you dread, you will not get any real benefits from your time and effort. It should be time away from work and stress. Live in the moment and do not think about the stress from the day/life for an hour.

Take a Break

It is okay to take a break. You can push really hard for 4-5 weeks before your body says “enough”. Put your plan together so that you have time to relax and recover. You need to schedule down time every 3-4 weeks in your training cycle or you will break. The down time can be just a change in activity, hiking instead of running, playing at the park instead of being in a gym. Change is good and speeds up recovery. It also takes the drudgery out of training.

Breaks are good for you, even if you do not think they will help you reach your goals. You cannot drive a Ferrari at 190mph all day, every day without some wear and tear. You have to pull into the pit and take a few minutes/days to recover before hitting the road again.

Training Does Not Have to be Your Life

Exercise should be something that makes you feel better, move better, and get stronger. It should not be something you dread, or that causes pain or injury. If it does any of those things, evaluate what you are doing and make sure it is in alignment with your goals. Spend the minimum amount of time needed to make the changes to reach your goals.

Your Life Needs to be Your Life

Exercise should make you more useful and capable so that you can be there for your family, friends, and loved ones. Be fit to enjoy your life for a long time with your loved ones.

Pau lBritt Group Training Squats

Now that we have discussed a few thoughts on training, where do you go from here? Everyone is at a different place in their life, training and recovery, but the points still work and they must be adapted for the individual. For example, I am now in Chiropractic School full time. My typical day starts at 4:50am and ends at 10:30 or 11pm. I am at school from 7-5PM, drive home for up to 90 minutes, and when I get there I have two teenagers and a child under one year old to deal with—along with my own training, meals, studying, and I have to try and find a few minutes to tell my wife that I love her. There are days when I might get only three hours of sleep a night for several nights in a row. If I did not follow the rules, I would end up burned out even more, and injured due to training. I have to train as it is my stress relief and helps me maintain my fitness level so I can teach at certification workshops.

Considering all of that, what do I do? I base my life on Strong Medicine. It is the guidebook for living a healthy and hopefully long life. I have fully bought into the concept of the Stress Cup. When it is full, or close to full, I know I need to back off somewhere—and that usually means backing off of hard training. Strong Medicine is part of the blueprint for my future practice. Buy it, read it, and implement the plans for eating, sleeping, recovery and stress management.

How the Strong Medicine Plan Works in My Life:

I eat as clean as possible every day by eating lots of vegetables and some protein at every meal. I try to keep a good source of energy, antioxidants and building blocks in my system to help with recovery. I am also very particular in supplementation with fish oils, antioxidants and other similar vitamins and minerals. I check my grip strength in the morning and before I train to determine how hard I can train that day. Here’s an article I wrote about grip strength and training on the Strong Medicine Blog.

I plan simple workouts that I can easily scale to the appropriate level for the day. I like to get some training in every day. I try to make sure at the very least, I do 100 kettlebell swings.

The following plan can have anywhere from 100-200 or so swings. The number of swings will depends on your sleep, time to train, and overall Stress Cup level.

Paul Britt Training Justine with 32kg — The kettlebell you use is up to you, Justine is swinging a 32kg kettlebell.

Monday

Swing/Squat.

10 swings followed immediately by 1 Squat, 10 Swings/2 squats, 10 Swings/3 squats, 10 swings/4 squats, 10 swings/5 squats. I will start the next series at 5 squats and go to 1 for my base of 100 swings. If it is a heavier day, I will go back up the ladder and/or back down for 200 swings. This can be body weight or Goblet Squats with weight.

Tuesday

Swing/Pushup

I follow the same plan as the Swing/Squat

Wednesday

Swing/Pullup

Hmm, there is a pattern here…see above.

Thursday and Friday

I start with Swing/Squat and Friday would be the Swing/Pushup. The following Monday, I would start with the Swing/Pullup.

I like bodyweight work but this could be done with any combination of exercises. You could do presses, double kettlebell front squats, kettlebell rows etc. whatever you need to add to your session. I tend to keep rest to a minimum. I find that it is easy to hit almost 90% of heart rate max doing the exercises as a superset, then it takes about 30 seconds for my heart rate to drop to about 70%, when I can perform another set. This is basically the Burst Cardio idea from Strong Medicine. I use this approach to keep training while staying strong and healthy.

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Senior RKC Paul Britt has been an RKC kettlebell instructor since 2006. Paul trains people at workshops and privately. Paul is currently attending Parker University working on his Doctor of Chiropractic degree Paul has served as an assistant instructor at many RKC and HKC Courses, is a Certified Kettlebell Functional Movement Specialist (CK-FMS) and works with some of the top Chiropractors in North Texas. Please visit his website for more information or to contact him

CrossFit, Kettlebell Training, Kale Salad and Donuts

October 26, 2016 By Nick Lynch 1 Comment

Nick Lynch kettlebell press

First off, I’d like to admit that I love donuts. It may or may not have been the years of skipping Sunday Boy Scouts to watch The Simpsons with my dad that programmed my subconscious to love donuts but nonetheless, I love donuts. Would I eat them all the time? Only if I wanted to be as soft and squishy as the crème filled varietal. I’ve come to learn that in order to have a donut here and there, I need to eat some kale salad. So what’s all this donut and kale salad talk have to do with CrossFit and kettlebell training? Everything…and here’s why.

I’ve learned to appreciate CrossFit over the years. Many clients that I train with participate in it, love it, and swear by it. If it weren’t for Crossfit, I’m not sure kettlebells and dinosaur training would be so popular today. CrossFit has popularized otherwise forgotten strength secrets like carrying heavy stones, pushing and pulling heavy loads, and of course, Olympic Lifting. But, it’s the Hardstyle training methods that we teach as RKCs that make these lifts safe and effective. You could say it’s a match made in heaven! So what’s with the whole kale salad and donuts analogy? Well, the vast majority of the people I know who participate in CrossFit quickly realize that they can’t only do CrossFit. They need their kale salad, which in this analogy is Hardstyle kettlebell training.

Why?

Kettlebell training serves as corrective exercise and therefore has functional carry-over to other intense physical activity, such as CrossFit. One must master his/her breath, the hinge, the wedge and gain strong grip strength in order to perform such exercises as the Hardstyle swing, strict pull-up, Turkish get-up, snatch and strict press. Guys like Bolt take home gold medals for having a strong hinge, wedge, wrists, feet and coordinated breath. When you take talent and combine the skills required of an RKC, you’re on your way to a gold medal, so to speak. You’re a strong and functional athlete.

Hinge = staying in your wedge, reach your butt towards the wall behind you without forward bending of the knees.

Wedge = shoulders packed, pelvis neutral, glutes locked and abs flexed rock solid.

The general population does not lead a physically challenging lifestyle. We type, we click, we press, and we swipe to “work” our grip strength. Our daily squatting happens in the form of on-and-off the toilet and up-and-down off a chair. That said, we don’t have the wrist strength and the hip/lumbar/thoracic mobility to safely barbell snatch overhead and catch the bar without something debilitating happening; hence the high injury rate associated with intense physical activities. I’ve learned that you can greatly reduce debilitating injuries during any activity simply by learning functional movement patterns and gaining strength with RKC kettlebell training. It’s fun to eat donuts just like it’s fun to snatch a barbell. But you can’t eat donuts all of the time just like you can’t snatch a barbell all of the time. You’ve got to have your kale salad just like you’ve got to have your corrective exercises.

I here’s a major example of how one can utilize Hardstyle kettlebell training as a form of corrective exercise to enhance their athletic performance at CrossFit:

Phil Ross RKC demo

Wrist strength. Many movement patterns in Olympic lifting require catching a fast moving weight with the wrists in extension. This pattern forces the body to respond with borrowed movement from the elbows, shoulders, back and knees putting the body in a dangerous and compromised position. In martial arts and fighting, this body position would require one to submit or tap out. You’re basically rendered useless as your successor could, if they wanted to, break your arm. Additionally, I want you to think for a second about how many sports and or physical activities require an emphasis on extended wrist positions. Here’s a few functionally and daily movements that DON’T require extended wrists: pull-ups, deadlifts, running, climbing, swimming, rowing, punching etc. Lifting weights in a way that means you could tear or break your arm is a bad idea unless you practice the solution!

Extended wrists in action as showcased by Jared Byczko, RKC and owner of CrossFit Naptown:

Jared CrossFit Naptown wrist extension

The solution: Hardstyle Turkish get ups, kettlebell presses, knuckle push-ups, strict pull ups and bottoms up presses. These exercises require you do the opposite of Oly lifts. In addition, the speed in which you perform such exercises is slow and focused. Wrists maintain a neutral and flexed position throughout each exercise therefore strengthening. Lastly, the body does not need to borrow movement to compensate, instead, one can utilize the wedge to support the weight. The wedge strengthens your whole torso and hips, while the neutral and flexed position of your wrists strengthens your wrists, hands, forearms, elbows, shoulders and postural chain.

RKC Workshop Jared squat

Now you can go a little more nuts next time you clean and jerk with the barbell for reps.

In the following program, I’m going to outline a simple and effective corrective exercise program that utilizes kettlebells. I’ve found that bodybuilders, CrossFitters, powerlifters, etc. all respect and enjoy this program simply because it’s difficult, yet restorative.

Day 1 – WOD – light – Practice your technique, don’t go heavy, don’t set new PRs, be mindful of form. 50-65% max

Day 2 – Hardstyle – Follow the program listed below. Ensure you practice the Hardstyle technique as it’s specifically designed to strengthen your wrists, postural chain, hands/wrists and feet.

Day 3 – WOD – medium – Same as Day 1 except go a little heavier (but not much!). 65-75% max.

Day 4 – Hardstyle – Follow the program listed below.

Day 5 – WOD – hard – heavy- 80-90% max.

Days 6 and 7 – Functional human activities such as running, jumping, swimming, climbing, carrying, etc.

You may have noticed on the hard WOD day I recommended going 80-90% max. Save your 110% effort for every 3-6 months. After all, the greats really only PR once or twice per year and that’s at a competition.

Hardstyle Program-Day 2:

Suitcase Deadlift – go heavy, 3-5 reps

Push ups – on front two knuckles if you can, otherwise on two kettlebells or Neuro-Grips

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Farmer Carry – very heavy for 30 seconds. For extra grip strength, wrap a towel around the handle of your bell

OH Press – 3-5 per side, medium weight, stellar technique!

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Core:

Reverse plank x10 seconds

Plank x10 seconds

Side planks, both sides, x10 seconds each

Rest 30-seconds

Repeat 2-4 sets

Hardstyle Program Day-4

Goblet Squat – heavy, 3-5 reps

OH Double press – medium, 3-5 reps

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Pull ups – 3-5 reps

Split squat – medium, 3 reps per side

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Core:

Log roll – 5 to the right, 5 to the left

Mtn Climbers – 20 reps

Pelvic Push Ups – 3 reps

Rest 30-seconds

Repeat 2-4 sets

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RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering University (MSOE). He owns Superb Health Milwaukee, a kettlebell studio in Milwaukee, WI. He has 13 years of full-time training and coaching experience and a lifetime of wellness education. Nick lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Natalie and son Weston.