RKC School of Strength

The Barbell Strength RKC Prep Program

September 28, 2016 By Jason Kapnick 2 Comments

The instructor cadre from last year’s RKC at Catalyst SPORT.

Much has been written about the synergy of kettlebells and barbells. They complement each other’s “blind spots” extremely well. Training properly with either will make you better at both. The RKC is the world’s premier kettlebell certification, and I can tell you first-hand that the skills I learned at the RKC have made me a better powerlifter.

This program is intended for an RKC candidate who wants to keep barbells in his or her program, while still building the requisite work capacity and skill to excel at an RKC Workshop. Whether you’re a powerlifter, football player, strongman competitor, or simply a barbell enthusiast, this program will get you strong, conditioned, and ready to impress at the RKC. It is also great for would-be Beast Tamers (just add some pistol squat practice).

When preparing for the RKC, there are three Pillars of Success you must consider:

Work Capacity. The RKC has evolved beyond its brutal and punishing roots, and is now more focused on teaching skills and helping you become a skilled instructor. But, it is still a challenging three days which will test your fitness. Be prepared for multiple workouts per day, interspersed with lots of drills and technique practice. And oh yeah, there’s a snatch test in there too.
Maximum Strength. The role of maximum strength is less obvious than work capacity (after all, most men won’t have to handle anything larger than 24kg, and women 16kg). Being strong will make your RKC weekend so much easier. When heavy kettlebells feel light, you can more effectively focus on technique.
Movement Quality. It is important to safely and effectively place kettlebells overhead, squat, and have good hip extension.

The rack position is a crucial kettlebell skill. Here the author demonstrates the “loaded clean” to drill lat engagement and rooting to the floor. — The rack position is a crucial kettlebell skill. Jason Kapnick demonstrates the “loaded clean” to drill lat engagement and rooting to the floor.

It is worth noting that I have not included “kettlebell technique” on this list. While having familiarity and skill with the kettlebell will greatly benefit you throughout the certification weekend, it is not essential to show up with PERFECT skills. The purpose of the course is to teach you these skills, and the master RKCs, team leaders and assistant instructors meet will give you all the coaching you need to pass the rigorous skills tests on the last day of the certification. The amount of progress candidates make during the RKC is nothing short of mind-blowing. So, work on your technique and get comfortable handling kettlebells, but don’t sweat it if you’re not perfect.

This program focuses on Pillars #1 and #2 (strength and work capacity), while also giving you ample time to gain familiarity and exposure to the “Big 6” kettlebell lifts tested at your RKC. While Movement Quality (Pillar #3) is absolutely crucial for success at the RKC, it mostly beyond the scope of this article. I highly recommend finding an FMS certified professional in your area for a movement screen before starting this (or any) program.

This program should be run for 6-10 weeks prior to the certification workshop.

The Program:

Day 1—KB Press & Deadlift

A1. Single Arm Press Ladder (1,2,3,4)x3
A2. (Weighted) Tactical Pull-up 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps

Deadlift 5,3,2; then drop 20% and 3×5 with 2:00 rest.
Kettlebell Skill Practice: 10-20 minutes

Press Ladders: Use the classic “Rite of Passage” progression. Add a ladder each week, and then once you get to 5 ladders, start adding rungs to the ladders. Build volume.

Deadlift: In week 1, pick a weight you can perform 8-10 reps with. Perform a set of 5, rest, a set of 3, rest, and then a set of 2, all with that same weight. Then, take 20% of the weight off the bar and do 3 sets of 5 with just a 2:00 rest. Each week, add 5-10lbs per week to the 5,3,2 sets.

Deadlifts are the key to unlocking maximal strength.

Day 2—Snatch Density and Work Capacity

Snatch Density Training

B1. Double Kettlebell Clean 5×8
B2. Double Kettlebell Squat 5×6
B3. Rack Walk 5×10-15 yards

Farmer’s carries will build a strong grip while encouraging good posture and alignment.

C1. Farmer’s Carry 2-4 sets of 15-20 yards
C2. Hang from Bar 2-4 sets of As Long As Possible
C3. Ab Wheel 2-4 sets of 5-8

Snatch Density: Perform snatches on each arm every minute on the minute (EMOTM). Add reps each week, and decrease number of minutes as necessary. Try to “arrive” at being able to do 10 snatches per arm for 7 minutes (a snatch test plus an additional two minutes). For example:

Week 1: 5/5 x15 minutes
Week 2: 6/6 x12 minutes
Week 3: 7/7 x10 minutes
Week 4: 8/8 x10 minutes
Week 5: 9/9 x8 minutes
Week 6: 10/10 x7 minutes

In reality, your progression might not be as linear or quick.

B1-B3: Perform these as a super-set, without setting the kettlebells down. Rest a few minutes between sets.

Day 3—Swings and Get-Ups

Turkish Get-Up – 8-10 Total Get-Ups. Vary the load each week (wave loading).
Heavy Single Arm Swing Volume—20 minutes. Choose a kettlebell 1.5-2.0x your snatch test bell. Perform as many sets of single arm swings as you can. If you manage more than 10 sets per arm, the pick a heavier kettlebell next week.

C1. Single Arm Rack Carry
C2. Chin-Ups
C3. Bulgarian Split Squat

Day 4—Bench Press & Squat

A1. Close Grip Bench Press 5×5
A2. Chest Supported Row 5×8-12

Front Squat 5×5

C1. Single Leg Deadlift 3×8
C2. Paloff Press 3×8
C3. Kettlebell Armbar 3×8-10 breaths

The author at a powerlifting meet in June 2015, where he posted a 1,555lb total, culminating with a 660lb deadlift.

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Jason Kapnick is the co-founder of Catalyst SPORT, one of New York City’s top kettlebell training facilities. He has made multiple Elite powerlifting totals, with best lifts of 545/355/660 in the 198lb weight class, and achieved the Beast Tamer Challenge at his RKC in April 2013. He can be contacted through catalystsportnyc.com.

Get Rid of Nagging Back Pain and Build Abs of Steel

September 21, 2016 By Laurel Blackburn 6 Comments

kettlebell drill for back pain Laurel Blackburn

The most common complaint I hear from my clients is back pain. Just Google “back pain” and you’ll end up with over a million hits.

As a personal trainer, I know that also means there’s a huge population out there that can benefit from my expertise. From a business perspective, that also means building my client base and increasing my business.

But, before you dive into marketing to people suffering from back pain, let’s look at a few important points, and by important, I mean, IMPORTANT.

I am not a physician, physical therapist, chiropractor or other medical provider. I can’t diagnose problems. If you are not a medical provider, you shouldn’t either.

If a client comes to you with back pain or any type of pain, your safest bet is to refer them out to a trusted professional. I have aligned myself with the best chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist and dietitian in my area. If I’m ever in doubt, I refer them out.

Now, assuming my client has been medically cleared and has no restrictions, I can get to work.

The drills I demonstrate in the video below came from trial and error and by combining concepts learned from my RKC, and RKC-II certifications, CK-FMS and Z-Health.

I was totally surprised that most of the time, my clients experienced immediate pain relief. If they then spent several weeks of dedicated time doing the drills, the pain was gone.

Although I have many success stories from using these drills, my favorite is my client, Karen.

Karen is in her mid-50s and suffered from chronic back pain. She tried everything from acupuncture, massage, chiropractors and even surgery but never got long-term relief.

We began with simple back presses using a wedge—because lying on the ground was too painful when we started. We also did the back presses and the pelvic glides while standing. After several weeks, we were able to start doing them on the floor.

Once her pain subsided, we added kettlebell deadlifts, swings and get-ups. It wasn’t long before she was able to start running; something she never thought she would be able to do again.

I knew I was on the right track when her son—then was a chiropractic student—came to watch one of our sessions. He told me that if everyone did these drills and deadlifts, then he wouldn’t have a lot of patients.

Although the little combo in the video below is not the only answer to relieving back pain, I find it’s a great place to start. If nothing else, your clients will end up with better posture, better movement, and a bulletproof core.

For beginners who have been cleared:

5 back presses using a thick towel as a tactile cue under the small of their back.
10 pelvic glides

Repeat 3-5 times.

This combination can be done before getting out of bed in the morning and in bed before going to sleep.

Once the back presses become stronger (use your hand/arm to test) then add resistance:

Place a light kettlebell overhead and cue them to press their lower back to the floor and pull the kettlebell to mid-chest with straight arms. The back must stay pressed through the entire range of motion.

5 back press with pullovers
10 pelvic glides

Repeat 3-5 times.

In the video below, you will see the option of additional triceps extensions along with isometric contractions.

Try these as movement prep prior to training. These drills/exercises are also great in group classes.

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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.

Transform Your Kettlebell Swing with Two Simple Cues

September 14, 2016 By Matt Beecroft 4 Comments

Matt Beecroft kettlebell swing

There’s no doubt that the swing is the center of the kettlebell universe. Mastering the swing should be one of the first goals of your kettlebell journey. It is simple—if you can swing well, you will probably clean and snatch your kettlebell properly too. Besides, the swing should look exactly like your clean and snatch, the hips do all the work and the arm guides the kettlebell to where you want it to go with some “steering strength”. While I consider the swing a basic, nailing it so it becomes a thing of power and grace can be difficult. “Basic” doesn’t mean “easy”.

My previous post, “Regress To Progress” steps out the progressions we use in the RKC to teach the swing. It explains how most kettlebell swing issues can be resolved by going back to master the progressions. Likewise, mastering regressions can really improve your kettlebell swing, no matter where you currently are in your practice.

In my opinion, great coaches give cues which can instantly and radically improve technique. I learned the two cues in this post from former Master RKC Geoff Neupert in my few years training with him. With these two cues, I feel like I can really transform a swing. I use them every time I teach at an RKC Workshop.

The timing of the swing movement is seldom discussed in detail, and yet it can play a very powerful part in making your swing a thing of grace and beauty—and powerful as hell!

One of the benefits of using kettlebells is working with the eccentric phase (the backswing) or downward phase of the kettlebell swing. The “overspeed eccentric” technique is a method to increase the intensity of the kettlebell swing in the RKC. This technique adds an active acceleration of the kettlebell on the backswing in addition to the ballistic concentric acceleration of the kettlebell during the forward swing phase. Instead of simply letting the kettlebell accelerate downward with gravity, a partner pushes the kettlebell down from the top of the swing. This assisted acceleration also increases the posterior chain’s eccentric muscle contraction speed.

During this eccentric muscle contraction, the muscles lengthen from the external load of the kettlebell while contracting under tension. Research shows that eccentric muscle contractions are capable of producing more force than either isometric or concentric muscle contractions. Maximum eccentric strength is estimated to be between 1.5 and 2.0 times that of maximum concentric strength. Put in other words, you get strong on the negative phase of exercises. This is why concentrating on the negative or eccentric phase will build the strength required for both phases of the exercise. For example, learning how to do a push up or pull up by focusing on the eccentric phase is the way to build the strength to do your first full push up or pull up.

“Overspeed eccentrics” result in an accumulation of kinetic energy from greater force production and elastic energy. Studies that have shown that training programs which utilize eccentric contractions at fast velocities remove neural inhibition. Normally, neural inhibition is a mechanism for injury protection as exemplified by the stretch reflex phenomenon. The rapid stretching of the posterior chain muscles in the backswing causes sensory muscle spindles—which are distributed throughout the fleshy part of skeletal muscle—to activate. To protect the muscle from being overstretched, the spinal cord is notified that the muscles are being lengthened. Next, the spinal cord reacts by contracting the muscle being stretched while inhibiting the contraction of the antagonist muscles. This process bypasses sending any messages to the brain and is known as the “stretch reflex”. Taking advantage of the muscle’s elasticity and the stretch reflex is also known as the “stretch-shorten cycle”. The faster the muscle is stretched eccentrically, the greater the force will be on the following concentric contraction. In other words, you will get a stronger and a more explosive swing.

To take advantage of overspeed eccentrics during the two-arm kettlebell swing, two things must be present: a fast backswing and a rapid switch from the eccentric muscle contraction of the backswing to a concentric contraction of the forward swing. This technique can be implemented with the kettlebell swing when a partner forcefully pushes the kettlebell down from the top of the swing at chest height as it we do it in the RKC.

Coincidentally, a common kettlebell swing technique error is to not get deep enough with the backswing. An insufficient backswing results in a lackluster swing without much force. The overspeed eccentric drill is one cure for this—along with other “A-HA drills” you will learn at an RKC workshop.

mattbeecroftswingsetup

What if you don’t have a training partner?

Then, play chicken with the kettlebell! Yes, you read that correctly. Remember earlier in the article when I mentioned timing? We know that kettlebell swings are really ugly when your hips break and your bum goes backwards as soon as the kettlebell begins its downward or eccentric phase. That ugliness is usually just a timing issue.

Instead, try letting the kettlebell drop—or better still—pull the kettlebell down between your legs like a gridiron “hike pass”. Wait for the kettlebell to come down towards your hips, and for your elbows to connect to the rib cage, then right at the last second, forcefully “break” at the hips. You will hinge your hips down and back out of the way, getting a nice and deep backswing. The result will be similar to the overspeed eccentric drill. You’ll follow this with a powerful upward, concentric phase, giving you a much stronger and forceful swing. This is what I call “playing chicken with the kettlebell”. I probably don’t have to tell you what will happen if you wait too long… it will only happen once!

Breaking at the hips should not happen as soon as you reach the apex of your swing. Wait for the kettlebell to descend before hinging back. Be patient with your swing.

Don’t Rush the Kettlebell Swing

Rushing the kettlebell swing is another one of the biggest technique errors. Lock off your hips for longer at the top

The second cue is probably something you probably think you’re already doing. You might think you’re using your glutes and hips effectively. Finishing your hips strongly at the top of the swing, just like a deadlift lockout, is paramount to using the glutes properly, protecting the back, and strongly completing the movement. But if you observe an average kettlebell swinger, you’ll see that their hip/glute activation or “lock-off” at the top of the swing only lasts for a split second before they turn it off again. Have someone video your kettlebell swing. For an exercise that is touted as a strong posterior activation exercise and glute developer, it’s surprising how many kettlebell swingers hit the top of the swing and don’t keep the hips/glutes locked for longer than a split second. In fact, many won’t finish with the hips at all on their swings. The remedy is to simply to keep your hips locked and glutes engaged for longer at the top of the swing.

This will also change the timing of your swing—you will find that your kettlebell will start to “float” for a second at the apex of the swing. This must happen in our swings if we want to snatch well since the “float” also requires relaxing the shoulders a little (while strongly gripping the kettlebell with straight arms) at the top. This is very different from many incorrect “swing” attempts that are really just a squat with a front raise.

Try the Two Simple Cues…

Play chicken with the kettlebell and work on your timing. Let the kettlebell drop or forcefully pull the it down. Only “break” and hinge at the hips at the last second. Be patient.

Lock your hips and engage your glutes for longer at the top of your swing. Try to “float” the kettlebell with your hips. Feel the change in timing and technique. It will radically power up your swing.

Let me know how you do in the comments section below.

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Matthew Beecroft is a Senior RKC, PCC and CK-FMS certified instructor. He is also a GFM and Animal Flow instructor and Expert Level 2 instructor with Krav Maga Global and a Muay Thai coach who has trained amateur and professional Muay Thai champions. He can be contacted through his website www. realitysdc.com.au or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MeetLifeHeadOn/

Awareness and Kettlebell Training

September 7, 2016 By Martijn Bos 1 Comment

Martijn Bos Awarness Krav Maga

I have been a Krav Maga practitioner and instructor for over fifteen years—I also work as a mental coach, and teach physical training. To me, these are not separate disciplines. I am not a “jack-of-all-trades”. In fact, I feel very strongly about the logical, natural synergy between mental strength, physical strength and effective self-defense. In this blog post, I will describe this synergy and explain how kettlebell training will help your Krav Maga skills so you can defend yourself more effectively against punches, kicks, throws and even attacks with weapons.

First let me explain a little about Krav Maga. Krav Maga is a self-defense system developed in the Israeli army. A self-defense system. Krav Maga is neither a martial art nor a sport.

Martial arts were originally developed for self-defense but over time and due to various factors—spiritual/religious beliefs, politics, egos—most martial arts disciplines lost track of their primary goals. They stopped developing and gradually became outdated. As a result, they are hardly suitable for counteracting modern day threats. Most martial arts techniques are just too complex to use in stressful situations.

On the other hand, fighting as a sport is a great way to determine who is the better fighter. But as with any sport, rules and regulations apply. When entering a competition, there’s a set time frame, a single opponent, a referee to ensure fair play, etc. Running away is not a viable option. After all, the object is to fight, not to increase your well-being or safety.

In contrast, Krav Maga is about coping with real-life threats. Krav Maga is about defending yourself when confronted with an armed attack. The attack may come from the front, side, or the rear. It could happen when you are standing up or lying on the ground. You may be in your house or on the street. You might face one or many attackers. The bottom line is that an attack will almost always surprise you. In an extremely stressful situation, you must be able to apply the techniques you were taught.

In Krav Maga you train for these situations so you can remain unharmed or at least avoid getting seriously hurt. It could be the difference between life and death. The reward is not a trophy, it’s your life, your safety, and your health. The only rules you need to follow are the rules of the law (interestingly, these only seem to apply to you and not your attacker, but that’s another topic). Do you see the difference?

Safety is a double-edged sword. Let me explain. I am one of the highest ranking Krav Maga instructors in the world, and the first ever EIT (Expert Instructor Team) of the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF). Over the last 12 years I have operated a successful business—Trainingscentrum Helena—with over 500 members at 4 different locations, where we teach Krav Maga, along with mental and physical training. Last year I taught in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Czech Republic, Israel and China.

Even though I instruct and train at the highest level—and do it a lot—I hardly ever have injuries during my classes or trainings. I have always felt very strongly that it is both very ironic and senseless to get injured during training that should prepare you to stay safe in your daily life. I carry this philosophy with me every time I teach or prepare for a class—whether it is Krav Maga or kettlebell training.

I want to share the lessons I’ve learned as a Krav Maga instructor and how they can benefit your kettlebell training. I also want to inspire people who train or teach Krav Maga to start using kettlebells. Kettlebells provide many benefits in Krav Maga training and in real life situations. Lastly, I wish to encourage everyone to take responsibility for their own safety.

Martijn Bos Kettlebell Get-Up

Safety First… Always

In Krav Maga we always put safety first. If you can avoid a fight, it is safer than trying to win a fight. So, run away whenever you can! If you don’t trust somebody, you don’t have to be nice or even polite. If you are going out on a date or having drinks with friends, plan ahead for how you will get home. Be sensible. Safety first!

The same goes for kettlebell training. The kettlebell can help you to become a better Kravist. The functional strength and cardio that you develop with kettlebell training will help you perform harder, better, faster, stronger. In kettlebell training, you have to do everything yourself, with no support from machines. You will improve your basic motor-skills for stability, develop solid movement patterns, and lose body fat. Kettlebell training will also help you with an explosive hip-drive for stronger kicks and punches, better grip strength for dealing with knife/gun threats, and the strength and stability in your midsection for efficient ground fighting. Last but not least, kettlebell training builds a durable body with strong ligaments. A body that can take a hit.

All these benefits can be yours, but only if you put safety first! Before you start training with kettlebells, you will need to learn how. In ancient times, knowledge was considered a secret, only to be shared among the elite. Luckily, times have changed. Today, everybody can learn how to defend him/herself and how to use a kettlebell. Be sensible and look for an RKC certified trainer (or IKMF in the case of Krav Maga), join a HKC workshop or become a professional at an RKC certification. Save yourself the trouble of trying to reinvent the wheel or copying YouTube amateurs. You can only learn safe and effective training with the right guidance, direct feedback and coaching.

Fighting Through Resistance

Every movement is preceded by a mental trigger. The brain moves the body and any physical movement is first a mental intention to act. Tough kettlebell workouts teach us how to “fight” ourselves through resistance. Your body feels tired and wants you to stop. Your mind gets distracted and starts thinking, “It’s enough”, “Why am I doing this?” or “I still have other things to do”. The mind is trying to convince you to quit. Your mindset—the conscious and trainable part of the brain—can convince you to finish your workout, manage your emotions, and keep you focused. These same exact qualities also make a difference when fighting for your life.

If you are unable to manage your emotions, you are more likely to quit working out when it gets hard. You might not even start the workout in the first place. You definitely won’t last in a fight; you will freeze or simply give up straight away when under attack. Fighting mental and physical resistance will make you strong! As your confidence grows, you will be less of an easy target, increasing your personal safety. Remember, you don’t have to outrun a lion, you just need to be faster than the other prey. If you don’t appear to be an easy target on the street, predators are more likely to look for someone else to harass. It’s a bitter fact, but it’s a jungle out there. Be clever, be strong.

Martijn Bos Krav Maga

Technical, Not Emotional

Many people have difficulty adding regular workouts to their busy schedule. And even if they’ve found the time, they allow themselves to get distracted during the workout. They might not feel “in the mood” and start negotiating how to cut back this particular workout. Working out without letting your mind wander can be a challenge when emotions get involved. Emotions play a big role when you are trying to keep your focus. Similarly, when you are involved in a conflict—internal or with other people—always try to keep things technical, not emotional. Emotions will make you feel more stressed and will compromise your performance. You will also make bad decisions.

When defending yourself, the choice is simple—it’s him or you. No feelings are involved. If you let fear, frustration, or anger get the best of you when dealing with an attacker, saving yourself will get much harder. Consider your training an opportunity for learning how to make technical decisions and how to manage your emotions. Decide what you want to do—without letting emotions get involved—and then go for it. Do this with every workout from now on. You will be rewarded!

Working Under Stress

In Krav Maga, we understand how the right mindset can enhance your performance. However, when confronted with violence, one will always experience a certain amount of stress. The heart rate increase will affect your coordination, no matter how strong your mindset is. This is a main reason Krav Maga never incorporates fine motor skills in its techniques. With a heart rate of 140bpm and higher, your coordination skills will be seriously compromised. Try running up a few flights of stairs, then opening a locked door with a key. When your life is at risk, it’s not uncommon for your heart rate to be above 200 beats per minute. Plus, adrenaline rushes through your body, making you alert, but also giving you the shakes. You’ll start to sweat and feel like you’re losing control. Similar responses occur when you’re in a car accident or when you lose your balance at a great height. These are completely natural responses from the body that provide you with extra energy to save yourself. These responses elevate the heart rate, increase blood flow, and provide oxygen to the body. But this feeling can also overwhelm you and keep you from taking action. Unless you train yourself to deal with it, you may freeze and do nothing at all.

Many methods can teach you how to relax, but unless you also practice them under pressure, they won’t help you in stressful situations. For example, yoga will help you release stress and tension, but yoga is also usually performed in a relaxed and safe environment. It won’t teach you how to perform under extreme and violent circumstances. I believe it’s important to go beyond just trying to stay relaxed and avoid stress. Stressful situations will occur in life and it is healthy to accept and prepare to perform in these moments.

If you need to perform under stress, you will have to train your skills under a similar type of stress. So when you get nervous about making a big presentation at work, you shouldn’t just practice relaxation exercises. You must also practice the presentation for a group of critical strangers. If you feel intimidated by an audience, then you should prepare in front of an audience. When you are competing, stress can also help you, if you use it well. You should make friends with the stress first—before you marry it. Training under stress is an important principle in Krav Maga training.

Examples of how I increase stress for my students:

Social stress: Perform in front of a group. Doing a test in public creates a lot of stress for people who don’t like to be judged or who always want to stay in control.
Decision stress: Make multiple decisions in a short time frame. In Krav Maga, you need to learn how to fight multiple attackers. Prioritizing is an essential skill. Drills involving hand and leg attacks, grabs and weapons in a single defense exercise, are good training methods.
Insecurity stress: Starting training with eyes closed or in low-light circumstances. We will not know what attacks are coming.
Physical stress: Simulate a physical stress reaction by making the body work hard, elevating the heart rate etc. by working with a kettlebell.

Kettlebell swings, get-ups or presses combined with practicing Krav Maga techniques simulates the feeling of being under real pressure. People will learn to recognize attacks quicker and will perform much better because they’ve learned to operate under stress.

Martijn Bos Kettlebell Press

Example Workouts

I’m pretty sure the example workouts below will give you the desired effect. They should help you create a stressed body for your Krav Maga drills, and develop a stronger mind and body that can take a hit. The workouts will also improve your overall fitness.

If you are training alone: Do one arm swing, then the Hardstyle planks followed by precision punching. You can use a heavy bag and mark the different spots you will strike. You can also use a paperclip, string, and a piece of paper. Try to hit the paper fast, without letting the paper touch you back—and without losing your balance.

A1	OA swing	HS plank	Precision striking	Sets
	10 L/R @32kg	10 sec	90 sec	3-5 sets
A2
	Press *	Bottom position Squat, elbows 90*	Precision kicking	Sets
	5-8 @28kg	20-30 sec @16kg	90 sec	3-5 sets

A3	Sit-up, press up	Press	Getting away from ground-position	Sets
	5 L @24kg	5-8 L @24kg	a.s.a.p.	3 sets
	5 R @24kg	5-8 R @24kg	a.s.a.p.	3 sets

* Missing in the video below

If you are training with a partner:

A1	Farmer walk	Trojan Pose with kettlebell	Choke releases	Sets
	50m L/R bottom up @24kg or double @60kg	16kg, 10- 15 sec.	90 sec.	3-5 sets
A2	OA swings	Push-ups without breathing (10 deep breaths, start after br. out*)	Hand defenses vs. hand/ leg attacks	Sets
	10 L/ 10 R @24kg	10-20	60-90 sec.	3-5 sets
A3	TGU	Sprint with kettlebell in front, arms extended at 90*	Ground releases/ fighting on the ground against a standing opponent	Sets
	1 L/R @32kg	12kg	60-90 sec.	3 sets

*This drill takes some practice, but it will teach you how to recover more quickly. You will find that breathing in and holding for the push-ups will be easier.

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Martijn Bos, Senior RKC Instructor, PCC Instructor is one of the highest ranking Krav Maga instructors in the world, and the first ever EIT (Expert Instructor Team) of the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF). He owns and operates Trainingscentrum Helena. He can can be contacted through his website: http://www.trainingscentrumhelena.nl

Safely Applying the American Kettlebell Swing

August 31, 2016 By Angelo Gala 4 Comments

Angelo Gala American Swing

“The American Kettlebell Swing (AKBS) is the devil! You will get hurt if you practice this style of swing!” …at least that is what I have been told. Heck, I am guilty of muttering those words once or twice like countless other fitness enthusiasts. But, it’s generally not the tool or exercise selection that necessarily causes a problem. It is the misuse of the tool, and the poor application or inappropriate execution of the movement that can cause accumulated damage over time. When applied correctly, the American Kettlebell Swing can become an excellent addition to your movement catalogue!

In the RKC School of Strength, we teach a shoulder-height “Russian” style kettlebell swing (RKBS). The intent of our swing is to promote sustainable power production from the body’s drivetrain, the hips. We teach this style of swing since many competitive sports require athletes to propel their own bodies or an object forward. This is the direct application of the RKBS and its outwardly projecting force. In the sport of weightlifting or even in the “Sport of Fitness,” athletes are required to use their hips to propel a load overhead in movements like the clean and jerk, snatch and even a wall ball shot. Movements that finish with a load overhead utilize a more linear trajectory, and support the proper use of the AKBS.

Before we run over to the boy-toy (a 24kg kettlebell) and start ripping it over our heads with two hands, let’s review some details of the movement.

First, the AKBS is NOT A SWING. Yes, I know it is called a swing, but by definition a movement that travels from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion is a snatch. The overhead swing has a much more linear trajectory, similar to the clean. Just understanding the kettlebell path will help clean up some common errors with this movement.

Practicing a snatch with a barbell or kettlebell can be very demanding. But, most people possess the requisite mobility to learn the RKBS, even as a beginner in fitness. They may not work on full swings in the first training session, but can start working with light deadlifts. Low volume swings are realistic progressions after a few short training sessions with an RKC Certified Kettlebell Instructor. This is generally not the case for the AKBS.

There are several requirements to safely practice the AKBS:

A demonstration of gross motor control and coordination
Requisite range of motion in the thoracic region (rib cage)
Significant overhead shoulder mobility and stability
A negative test for shoulder impingement on both shoulders (Seek out a CK-FMS certified instructor to help screen for impingement)

After acknowledging these safety standards, we can decide if the AKBS is appropriate, or if any additional preparatory homework is needed before practicing this movement. Keep in mind that when performing an AKBS, the hands are placed only 3-6 inches apart on the handle (depending on the size of the kettlebell). This requires a much greater amount of thoracic and overhead mobility to safely perform the lift compared to the barbell counterpart.

Required Range of Motion

Overhead Lock Out: modified hollow body with arms in full flexion

To determine if you possess the requisite range of motion for the AKBS, bring yourself to a supine position on the floor (lay down on your back). Separate your legs into a swing/squat stance and go into a hollowed body position by flattening your lower back to the floor. This will feel like you are pulling the front of your ribcage down to your belt line. Be sure to keep your legs tight like in the Hardstyle RKBS!

Now, raise both arms overhead while clasping both hands together. For a green light to practice the AKBS, you must be able to bring your forearms, lower back, and head to the floor in a comfortable state. Your elbows must remain completely straight and your shoulders must stay depressed (sucked down to the ribs, away from your ears).

test — Both of these examples are failed overhead screens for the AKBS. Note: if you can see your arms in your peripheral vision, this indicates a failed overhead screen for the AKBS and more mobilization is required.

AngeloGalaBadHollow2 — Both of these examples are failed overhead screens for the AKBS. Note: if you can see your arms in your peripheral vision, this indicates a failed overhead screen for the AKBS and more mobilization is required.

TIME TO SWING….. err snatch…….YES SWING!!

With both hands on the kettlebell, start in the athletic ready stance to prepare for the pre-swing or to “hike pass” the kettlebell through your legs. Nothing here deviates from the standards of the Russian kettlebell swing, yet. Your hips are lower than the shoulders. The spine is long and neutral. The hips and hamstrings are engaged.

Now, hike the kettlebell back through your legs. Explosively and simultaneously extend your knees and hips creating a solid lockout in your entire body below your neck. This will power the kettlebell out in front of your hips. Once the kettlebell reaches your belly button, use your arms to pull the kettlebell in towards your chest and up over your head to the overhead lockout. Stop the momentum of the kettlebell by squeezing the handle in the overhead lockout position. The AKBS is completed when the bottom of the kettlebell faces “up” directly overhead and the arms are in alignment with your ears.

How To Apply the American Kettlebell Swing:

The American Kettlebell Swing should be carefully applied to your programming as a compliment, not as a replacement for the Russian Kettlebell Swing. Instead of assuming the American Kettlebell Swing is harder, understand that there are two main reasons to purposely include the AKBS in your program design.

Longer cycle time: When planning aerobic power intervals, a slower cycle speed due to a longer range of motion will simply eat up more time on the clock.

Compounded shoulder and grip fatigue: Pulling the kettlebell through a longer ROM over the head adds a greater degree of shoulder flexion and sustained grip activation compared to the RKBS. The AKBS creates a significantly higher accumulation of shoulder and grip fatigue. In a mixed modal environment, this movement coupled with push-ups, reverse wall climbs or even handstand pushups can dramatically improve overhead work capacity when safely and progressively programmed.

Safe Modifications:

Just like most people have the ability to safely perform the RKBS after demonstrating proficiency of proper hinge patterning and full body bracing, all practitioners can utilize an abbreviated version of the AKBS by simply expressing a shorter range of motion. If you were unable to pass the overhead screen because of signs of shoulder impingement, a safe variation of the AKBS would be to simply pull the kettlebell just above forehead level without committing to a straight-arm lockout of the elbows. With this abbreviated ROM, you will still be able to create a longer cycle time as well as induce increased shoulder and grip fatigue.

Give this swing variation a go and let me know how things work out for you!!

Angelo Gala, Senior RKC, PCC Team Leader

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Angelo Gala is both a Senior RKC and PCC Team Leader. He has been a fitness professional in the Boston area for greater than 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 (anything that elevates the heart rate). Angelo is available for remote coaching and on-site workshops. For scheduling he can be reached at a.angelo.gala@gmail.com.

WE ARE RKC

August 25, 2016 By Steve "Coach Fury" Holiner 10 Comments

We are RKC

I am an RKC.

What does that mean?

To me, the RKC is the gold standard of HardStyle kettlebell education. The RKC is hours, weeks, years, a lifetime of training toward mastering my craft. The RKC is knowing (despite titles) that I will never truly master my craft. At our heart, the RKC is about education, support, community, health and strength.

Did you notice where I placed strength in the description? While intentional, strength’s placement wasn’t meant as a slight or as a dig at its perceived value.

It’s reminder of the all-too-often-forgotten truth:

The strongest person in the room isn’t always the most effective trainer in the room.

You may be the strongest coach in the room and have a double Beast (2 106lb kettlebells) press. That’s awesome. However, a double Beast press alone doesn’t qualify you to train my girlfriend.

Take a moment to reflect on that statement. Social media will try to prove otherwise. When we go beyond marketing, bravado, image and ego; we are left with an educational system.

Steve Holiner Bottom-up kettlebell press

I am not a badass, a tactical operator or an elite athlete. I am a dad, a coach and a teacher. The RKC provides me the ability and knowledge base to do what I love at a high level. Now if you happen to be badass, tactical or elite—cool, the RKC will do the same for you. Great education serves all. Attitude or image do not.

When you register for a three-day RKC Kettlebell Certification, the goal of the RKC leadership team is to ensure that you leave with the skills, proficiency and knowledge of the RKC system—to enhance your ability as an instructor or enthusiast. We also provide the follow through to keep you progressing. Be proud of your accomplishments, but as with any great school, we all need time to study.

In our over fifteen-year existence, the RKC has gone through dramatic changes. In its latest transformation, the RKC has “grown up” from its beat-down roots and become more sophisticated in its approach to producing tough but well-coached, skilled fitness professionals.

That is our strength: to be not just physically strong—but balanced and “healthy-strong” across the board. Strong physical skills combined with strong coaching skills…

RKC Instructor Team Kansas Remaining the standard bearer and the innovator, the New RKC created the curriculum that others are now scrambling to adopt and imitate. We continue to lead by example.

With a laser sharp focus on nurturing excellent coaches and informing the enthusiast, the RKC has the best interest of our current and future instructors in mind.

Please reach out to any member of the RKC leadership team to ask questions or assistance. We’re here for you.

The RKC isn’t just about you or me. It’s about all of us.

Together, we can help a lot of people.

Together…

WE ARE RKC!

-Fury

#diemighty

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Along with creating Die Mighty, Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner is a trainer at Mark Fisher Fitness in NYC, a Master RKC, Kettlebell Instructor, an Original Strength Lead Instructor, and a Master DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training Instructor. Through his leadership roles, Fury travels throughout the U.S. and internationally to teach. Fury has also written for Mark Fisher Fitness, the RKC, DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training, Bodybuilding.com, Details Magazine and his own site.

He’s also a big Godzilla fan.

Fury is available for online training and is teaching workshops.

You can follow Fury at: coachfury.com, FB/coachfury, IG@iamcoachfury/, twitter@coachfury

Finally, I’m an RKC Instructor

August 17, 2016 By Erik Van Der Veen 3 Comments

RKC Haarlem Holland 2016 Group Photo

Finally, I can say I am an RKC Instructor. It’s official—my name is in the register! From the moment I picked up my first kettlebell, read my first book about them, and first visited kettlebell websites, I realized that the RKC is the golden standard in kettlebell lifting and certification. First, a confession: I had already started training people before I joined the RKC family. My presumed authority came from studying lots and lots of DVDs, books, YouTube videos, and a half-day kettlebell instructor course, where I was taught the CrossFit style swing and the windmill. A few hours later I walked out with a crispy clean certificate with my name misspelled on it. I thought I was ready to conquer the kettlebell world!

How wrong could I be? I knew how to keep my class busy for an hour and yes, they were all sweaty, worn out, and satisfied afterwards. But, I felt unsatisfied. I saw what they were doing wrong, but had a hard time correcting them. So I searched the trustworthy kettlebell sites for more info—and every time, I saw announcements for RKC Certification Workshops. But, they were always hosted in the US or Canada, and occasionally in Asia or Europe, but still too far away. The certification isn’t cheap, and adding a flight and a hotel would definitely make it non-negotiable at home. This winter, it all came together because the RKC was coming to Haarlem, Holland, about ten minutes from where I live. The same day I signed in. No negotiations necessary, and I got a huge discount!

Fast forward to July, 2016. Two RKC Instructors, Master RKC Andrea Du Cane and Senior RKC Martijn Bos, and nineteen wannabe RKC instructors were gathered in a well-equipped training center in the heart of Haarlem. Some of them had only started training with kettlebells a few weeks earlier; others looked like professionals who do a hundred snatches as a warm up. But, even the simplest moves can be performed better, as we learned in the following three days. Andrea and her team had every detail covered. They were strict but approachable, professional but always friendly and positive. The atmosphere they create is amazing! It’s so much fun to train with people who have this mindset. We started every move from scratch and slowly built them up until our form was flawless. No YouTube video can do that!

RKC Holland 2016 Workshop

Day two is snatch test day. Personally, this test had been like a monster hiding under my bed for two months. I just couldn’t master it. Of course there’s a lot more to the RKC than just doing one hundred snatches in five minutes, but the test still must be done. My fellow participants and I had been whispering about it ever since Friday morning—no matter how many times Andrea emphasized that it’s not the only test that is evaluated. While that’s true, we also knew that if we did not pass the RKC Snatch Test, we wouldn’t qualify to be an RKC Instructor. It’s as simple as that. And it is a struggle! But it is also a moment where the RKC family comes together. We are in this together. People cheered for each other, taped each others hands, congratulated the ones who succeeded, and of course consoled those who failed. Luckily, most of us made it.

Anyone who didn’t pass on day two could try again on the last day. Also, on the last day, we must have mastered the six moves we had been training—the swing, clean, press, get-up, squat and snatch—for a technique test in the morning. All the details needed to be in order, no matter how tired we were after two days of hard work. Andrea and her team were closely watching us; but nobody hears whether their performance is RKC worthy. We did hear a few tips and corrections here and there. It was tense and nerve-wracking for some of us! That afternoon, we had to design a workout for a fellow RKC participant. Then a group of unknown volunteers entered the training center. Each of us trained one of them for a full hour, while we were closely observed by Andrea and her team. As soon as the training sessions were over, it was time for the graduation workout. Personally, I’d never heard of it. The buzz in the gym was that if you could survive this grueling workout, then you’re RKC proof. As an extra motivation, the volunteers who we had been training were watching us. That made us want to hang on even more!

Finally, after the workout, we were called forward one by one to hear if we made it or if we needed to test again within three months to prove we’d really mastered the moves. I was greatly relieved as I left Haarlem with my hard-earned diploma in my bag. I even got misty eyed for a moment. Finally I can say I am an RKC Instructor!

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Erik Van Der Veen, RKC trains at Body Upgrade in Zwanenburg, Netherlands. Follow him on Facebook: facebook.com/bodyupgrade.eu/

Heart Pumping Ten Minute Workouts

August 10, 2016 By Ryan Jankowitz 3 Comments

Ryan Jankowitz Get-Up

We all know how efficient kettlebell training can be. Kettlebell exercises rapidly elevate your heart rate and require every muscle to work in unison. Kettlebell workouts can combine athleticism and grace, tension and relaxation, and strength and conditioning.

I review my RKC manuals often for workout ideas for my clients and myself. Each time I delve into the manuals again, I always rediscover great workouts and get ideas for programming new ones. Sometimes I use the workouts as they are written, but many times I modify them for a little variety.

The two workouts described below are from my collection of RKC manuals. They’re favorite choices for when I need a short conditioning workout for my remote clients or myself. I also find that these short training sessions work well when I am pressed for time or not feeling 100%.

Workout 1: