RKC School of Strength

Official blog of the RKC

Miyagi Pinball: Tilt Your Kettlebell Snatch!

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Steve "Coach Fury" Holiner Kettlebell Snatch

“You’re the best around. And nothing’s gonna ever keep you down”. That’s what they’ll be singing after you apply the following tips to your snatch technique. The following tips will improve your kettlebell snatch and help you destroy your snatch test if your RKC Workshop is coming up.

The kettlebell snatch is actually a fairly simple move, but people love to overcomplicate it. Over the years, I’ve broken down the technique into two simple words that pack a punch—or a crane kick—MIYAGI PINBALL! (Remember The Karate Kid?)

Two super common errors you’ll see with the Hardstyle kettlebell snatch are:

  1. Rotating or corkscrewing the kettlebell around the wrist as the kettlebell travels up and down.
  2. The arm staying straight during the entire snatch.

This is where “Miyagi” comes in. You have to paint the fence! Imagine you are Daniel-san standing in front of a fence. Your hand is an imaginary paintbrush. You’ll begin to paint upwards with the back of your fingers, then as you near the top of the fence, you’ll spike your fingers upward. The palm of your hand faces outward in this position. Now reverse the same motion on the way down. This will eliminate the first common error (corkscrew rotation) I previously mentioned. Painting the fence will also dramatically decrease the wear and tear on your hands when performing high rep kettlebell snatches.

Steve Holiner Kettlebell painting the fence
Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner in motion while demonstrating the kettlebell snatch “painting the fence” cue.

Do the following to fix the “straight arm” issue: Stand facing a wall, feet together, and with your right arm fully extended. Make a fist then move close enough to the wall that your arm is still straight and your knuckles are making contact with the wall. Now take a half step forward and allow your arm to bend. Paint the fence from this position. We’ve just shortened the arc of your kettlebell snatch, and that’s a very good thing.

Please note, that it is possible to try and shorten the arc too much. This will cause the kettlebell to travel almost straight down the body, forcing the elbow and shoulder to snap almost like a whip. We want to shorten the arc, not eliminate it, and you’ll still need some space to allow for a smooth transition into the backswing.

So, grab your kettlebell and go “Miyagi” on it! Hike the kettlebell back, snap your hips, let the elbow bend, and “paint the fence” until the kettlebell is locked out overhead. Reverse and repeat. If that feels different then you’ve earned that Karate Kid black belt from JC Penney.

Now, here’s where “pinball” comes into play. Having completed, witnessed, and administered over one hundred snatch tests, I’ve noticed another common (and fatal) flaw. Many people will allow their hinge to get shallow as they snatch—and they lose the ability to generate a TON of power when this happens.

Steve Holiner Pinball Backswing

Your hips are a pinball hammer. The kettlebell is the pinball. Pull your hips deep into the hinge (always while keeping the shoulders above the hips, and hips above the knees). As you “paint the fence” into the downward eccentric phase of the snatch, “pull the hammer back” by deeply hinging, then squeeze your glutes hard and fast, drive your feet into the floor, stand tall and “paint that fence”! The kettlebell will soar overhead.

Here’s a combination to help practice the “Miyagi Pinball”:

  • Heavy dead swing x 5
  • Snatch x 5 per arm *Remember to “Paint the Fence”.
  • Heavy dead swing x 3
  • Snatch x 8 per arm
  • Heavy dead swing x 1
  • Snatch x 10 per arm

Here’s why it works:

The kettlebell snatch is about efficiency. Shortening your arc means that you will have to project the kettlebell over a lesser distance to get it overhead. Shortening the arc also allows you to cut the kettlebell’s momentum as it approaches the lockout. This drastically reduces the risk of wear and tear on your shoulders. Using your hips to project the kettlebell will also keep your shoulders and back healthy, while cutting back on undue fatigue during high rep snatches.

Do you think any above would help you crush an RKC Snatch Test?

I do.

https://youtu.be/VRybp4KhA3Q

A fellow coach at MFF, Laura Smith had this to say about “Miyagi Pinball”:

“After Steve told me to “paint the fence” (karate kid style of course) I never had hand issues again. After months of my hands tearing every time I did a snatch test, this was life changing.”

There it is gang.

Try it and let me know what you think.

-Fury

Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner’s superhero headquarters is Mark Fisher Fitness in NYC. Fury’s a Senior RKC, a DVRT Master Chief, and an Original Strength Instructor. He is available for classes, semi-privates, instructor training and programming at MFF. Check out coachfury.com, facebook.com/coachfury Instagram @iamcoachfury and Twitter @coachfury for more info.

Kettlebell Training, the Secret to an All American Distance Runner’s Success

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Carleen Jeffers Running Track

Over the past 22 months, Carleen Jeffers has amassed an incredible amount of championships—and has set distance running high school and county records that were previously unbroken for decades. Brown University bound, Jeffers didn’t even consider long distance running until the summer of 2013. But in the fall of that same year, she earned the honor of First Team All County for Cross Country in the incredibly competitive county of Bergen, NJ—population, one million. During her first season, she went from not running track to First Team All County! Some top-shelf athletes train their whole lives and never achieve that level of success in our county. Prior to running, Carleen played softball, trained in the martial arts for many years, and began swinging kettlebells about a year before track.

Many distance runners don’t like the idea of resistance training, but they need strength! While bodybuilding routines or powerlifting will usually be counter-productive, kettlebells and bodyweight training can also provide relief from the repetitive movements of running. Tendons and ligaments will also become stronger which can prevent injuries and/or lessen their severity. Diaphragm strength also increases, and will supply the muscles with more oxygen. The body will process lactic acid more efficiently, allowing an athlete to have a stronger kick at the end of a race. Becoming stronger also has psychological advantages. Obviously, kettlebell and bodyweight training makes a lot of sense for runners.

Even during her highest mileage training of more than 60 miles a week, Carleen was able to maintain her muscle mass and avoid injury. While teammates suffered from stress fractures, shin splits and other common overuse injuries, her season was uninterrupted.

Carleen Jeffers With Kettlebell

She completed her senior year by placing 4th in the New Balance National High School track meet on June 19th, 2015, earning her High School All American status. Her performance of 16.58 in the 5K smashed both the former Bergen County and Ridgewood High School records and earned her Track Athlete of the Year for Northern New Jersey. That’s quite a few accomplishments for an athlete in a sport for only 22 months.

Carleen’s coach, Jacob C. Brown, of Ridgewood High School, is a coaching legend in the world of women’s track. He’s coached more champions and championship teams than virtually any other coach in the state of New Jersey. He advised her to keep training with kettlebells while she is in college—even if the college strength program doesn’t call for it. Coach Brown and I agree that that Carleen’s kettlebell training was the major differentiator in her success as a runner.

How did a 97 pound, 5’ 4” high school distance runner quickly achieve such a high level of success? Normally in track and field, athletes rarely improve from one contest to another, especially at higher levels of competition. The goal is to stay healthy while peaking for the States, Nationals or Worlds.

Carleen Jeffers Trail Running

Many runners—along with many in the general population—have rounded shoulders and poor thoracic mobility. And this situation is acerbated by the form these athletes adopt while running. Instead, they need to open up their chests to expand their lung capacity and increase blood flow.

The following are examples of Carleen’s training with kettlebells as a track athlete. We generally cycle our weekly training.

Warm-Up and Mobility:
Each session includes a warm up of jumping rope for 3-5 minutes, and a mobility sequence. The mobility portion includes six posterior chain and shoulder mobility exercises performed with a bo staff or dowel, armbars, thoracic bridges, deck squats or some other squat, hip opening movements, zombie rolls, and push-ups, to name a few. We also employed crawling movements along with quad and hamstring stretching.

Power Days:
Heavy lifting with sets of 5 to 10 reps. We have Power Days within three or more days before an event. If it’s a major event, we’ll leave a week between power sessions. These sessions include heavy swings, sumo squats, double kettlebell squats and heavy presses, bottoms-up presses, heavy get-ups, floor presses, heavy rows, kettlebell carries, and complexes. We also perform low rep plyometric versions of some of these movements.

Endurance Days:
Endurance days include chains with 30 to 40 reps, and weighted plyometrics of 10 to 20 reps per set. With kettlebells, we perform walking figure-8 lunges, walking swings, over-speed eccentric swings, ladders, and VO2Max snatch workouts. If we don’t do a VO2Max workout, we’ll end with “6 Minutes of Hell” or 5 minutes of kettlebell snatches (similar to part of the RKC Workshop testing requirements).

An example of a “6 Minutes of Hell” variation: Perform a clean, press, and a squat as a chain for one minute on one side, then change to the other side for the next minute. Repeat this for 6 minutes.

After an endurance day, we would make sure to have at least two days of rest before an event. Sometimes we might do an endurance day workout the day before an event, but with reduced weights, so the athletes would not be too sore to compete. However, we wouldn’t have an endurance day before a big meet.

PowerDure Days:
A good 40 to 50% of our weekly workouts are based on the PowerDure method. We perform the first half of the workout using mid-range power sets. We’ll do 3 to 4 sets of a mobility exercise along with an upper body push and pull, and lower body push and pull. 8 to 10 reps per set. Sometimes unilateral, other times bilateral.

In PowerDure, grinds are our primary focus. The second half of the session is dedicated to muscular endurance, while maintaining our bracing and the lock and pop of our ballistic movements. We focus on chains and circuits using workouts like our “Warrior’s Challenge”, “Scrambled Eggs” (see example below), and Tabatas. Heart rates are high and so is the sweat production! Afterwards, we cool down with mobility and flexibility training. I have a pool of several hundred workouts in the PowerDure category.

Bodyweight Days: These are performed once a week, especially close to the meets and sometimes the day before. We will either train with low reps (1 to 5) for strength or we will use timed circuits, moving from one exercise to the next while trying to hit 80% of our max reps. Generally, our bodyweight circuits are timed at 50 seconds on, 10 seconds off. We usually do 9 exercises for 5 rotations. During strength (low rep) days, we’ll challenge ourselves with the most difficult exercises. On bodyweight days, we always revert to regressions when the reps of the more difficult movements are no longer achievable. I find the bodyweight-only days round out the training since bodyweight exercises also improve balance and overall coordination.

Bergen County Track Stars 2014
Bergen County Track Stars

Example PowerDure workout with an intermediate variation of “Scrambled Eggs”

Our “Scrambled Eggs” circuit requires anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes to complete prior to the 1 minute rest between sets. There is no rest between the exercises, only one minute rest at the end of each set. This type of training prepares the body to deal with the lactic acid produced during sports or other strenuous activities.

Circuit 1: 2 sets

  • Two-hand kettlebell swings: 50 reps
  • Armbars: 10 each side
  • Side Press: 10 each side

Scrambled Eggs (1 kettlebell): 3 sets

  • Two-hand swings: 20 reps
  • Hand-to-hand swing: 10 reps each side
  • Snatches: 10 each side
  • High pulls: 10 each side
  • Swing squats: 10 reps
  • Waiter press: 5 each side
  • Single-leg deadlift: 5 reps each side
  • Bottoms-up press: 5 reps each side
  • One minute of rest

 

Strength and Honor!
Coach Phil

****

For more information on Master RKC Phil Ross’s strength and conditioning programs, videos (including The Kettlebell Workout Library), and workshops, please visit www.philross.com. Coach Jacob Brown’s website is available at jacobbrown.com. View Carleen Jeffers’ MileSplit profile.

Stop Fearing the 5 Minute Snatch Test

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Paul Britt Kettlebell Snatches

Nothing seems to scare potential RKC Instructors more than the 5 Minute Snatch Test (read complete testing requirements here), the gatekeeper of the system. In the long run, it’s only 5 minutes out of 23 hours of training—just 0.36% of the weekend. Sometimes I think the fear comes from a lack of confidence in their preparation, even though I have found that many people over-train for the snatch test. They snatch almost daily for tons of reps for long periods of time. In my opinion, a less is more approach works better. My last snatch test was my easiest one to date, and I only trained an average of 5 minutes a day for the test.

If you break down the kettlebell snatch, it’s a swing that ends up at the top position of the press. My plan was to work the swing and the press to train for the snatch test. It works if you look at the small space you must travel between the two exercises. The swing comes to chest height, and the press begins just a little bit higher. There’s only a small space missing when performing the snatch.

In my opinion, if you cannot handle heavy weight overhead, it’s not smart to ballistically propel the weight into position at the top of the snatch movement. So, my students work on heavy presses—snatch weight or heavier. Since this is RKC prep, this approach knocks out two birds at once.

When it comes to swings, I mix it up a little. I believe in having a great hip extension to launch the kettlebell and use the “float” as rest—with swings and as much as you can during the snatch test. That explosive hip extension also makes snatching easier as there is no pulling or fighting the bell on the way up. You can generate the float and guide the bell into position. That power can be developed with heavy double swings to chest height. This is typically the longest training session because we like to get a little more rest between sets when working on power and explosiveness. We will typically perform 10 reps on the minute, every minute, for 10 minutes. This usually gives us about 45 seconds of rest each set. If I feel like I’m losing some of the pop or if form deteriorates, we will occasionally just perform a set of swings and wait one minute.

On some days, we will see how many swings we can do in a 5 minute set of one-arm swings. A starting goal is to hit 100 swings. After a student can do 100 in five minutes, they will work up to as many as possible in that time frame. We have had a couple of students perform 160 swings in 5 minutes. On other training days, the students will grab a medium weight kettlebell for two-hand swings—somewhere between their one hand and two-and swing weights—and perform 100 two-hand swings in a 5 minute set. This helps bridge the gap between endurance and power.

We do the snatch test about every two weeks. And it is the only training for that day, they don’t get to work anything else other than recovery and mobility.

Typically the first time they hit 100 snatches, they knock it out in less than 4 minutes. They are typically spent and take a while to recover, but once they know that they can do it, we work on strategy and timing. If you finish the test in 3:30 minutes or 4:59 minutes, you still pass. I like to take my time and have something left at the end. We typically train for 10 left and 10 right on the minute for the test, but find that some students like the 20, 15, 10 and 5 rep scheme to pass. Once you can pass the test, the rep strategy comes down to personal preference and finding what works best for you.

The following training template focuses on the swing and snatch, I did not include the rest of the skills, but they can fit into the training plan if they’re thought of as a skill to practice. Use appropriate weights and make sure that the technique is good. There is no need to really push it for an extended length of time. Remember that this is only a small part of your RKC Workshop weekend. Do not dread it so much that you miss the awesomeness of the entire experience.

Monday

  • 5 Minutes of 2 hand swings
  • 5 x 5 pressing

Tuesday

  • 10×10 heavy double kettlebell swings
  • 5 x 5 double kettlebell squats

Thursday

  • 5 minutes of snatch weight one-arm kettlebell swings
  • 3 x 5 presses each side

Friday

  • Light to medium one-arm swings for 10×10 (30 seconds on / 30 seconds off works well)
  • 5 Get-ups left and right

Saturday

  • Snatch test

***
RKC Team Leader Paul Britt has been an RKC kettlebell instructor since 2006. He trains clients at Britt’s Training Systems, his award-winning Hardstyle Kettlebell Training Facility in Rockwall, Texas. 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 Chiroprators in North Texas. Please visit his website brittstrainingsystems.com for more information.

Squat Controversies

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RKC Instructor Felix Sempf

Although many good articles have been written about squatting, coaches are still frequently confronted with “do not go below parallel or 90°”, “you shouldn’t bring your knees past your toes”, or “squats are bad for your back”. Given these controversies and the fact that the squat is one of the fundamental exercises for RKC kettlebell training, the purpose of this article is to review the most important aspects of this exercise.

The squat is versatile—it has been shown that a 1RM squat is highly correlated to jump and sprint performance (Wisløff et al., 2004) and it can improve knee stability through a development of tighter joint capsules (Chandler et al., 1989). It is particularly useful for training athletes, but can also help improve strength and functionality in non-athletic populations. Squats improve the function of the gluteal muscles which will prevent injury or decrease back pain. Squats can also help everyone with daily tasks such as lifting items from the ground, or climbing stairs. It is important to note that research has not been able to establish a relationship between (deep) squatting and a greater risk of knee and back injuries, given that the exercise is performed with proper technique (Meyers, 1971; Panariello et al., 1994; Steiner et al., 1986; Hartmann & Wirth, 2014).

Squat Depth

Li et al. (2004) showed that the greatest stress on the posterior cruciate ligament during squatting occurs at around 90° of knee flexion. The authors further stated that deep squats help to constrain the knee joint and significantly reduce anterior and posterior tibial translation as well as tibial rotation compared to smaller flexion angles, thereby reducing the stress on the cruciate ligaments. Li et al. (2004) also found “the tolerance to load is enhanced in the deepest portion of the squat with a protective effect conferred to ligamentous structures”. This is in accordance with other researchers (Kanamori et al., 2000; Li et al. 1999; Sakane et al. 1997) who observed reduced stress on the crucial ligaments for knee flexion at angles greater than 90˚.

Caterisano, et al. (2002) looked at the relationship between squat depth and activation of the gluteus maximus and found no difference between partial and parallel squats. However, they reported significant increases in gluteus maximus activity during the deep squat. Given the high incidence of hip osteoarthritis in former elite athletes, and the correlation with reduced passive ROM in hip-flexion (L’Hermette et al., 2004), deep squats may be a useful tool in the prevention of hip-osteoarthritis by improving hip flexion. In summary, there is evidence to suggest that squatting below 90° with proper technique reduces stress on passive structures such as the cruciate ligaments and can have a protective effect in regard to hip and lower back health.

(Source: http://www.aaronswansonpt.com)
(Source: http://www.aaronswansonpt.com)

Squats and Injuries

Tibiofemoral compressive peak occurs at 130° of knee flexion and the menisci and articular cartilage will bear significant amounts of stress (Nisell & Ekholm, 1986). As peak patellofemoral compressive forces occur at or near maximum knee flexion, those with patellofemoral disorders or acute injured menisci should avoid high degrees of knee flexion (Sakane et al., 1997; Escamilla et al., 2001). With regard to the cruciate ligaments, Li et al. (2004) concluded, “For those with existing injury or previous reconstruction of the PCL, it is best to restrict flexion to 50° to 60° so that posterior shear is minimized”. “However, there is little evidence to show a cause-effect relationship implicating an increased squat depth with injury to these structures in healthy subjects” (Schoenfeld, 2010).

Knees Over Toes

List et al. (2013) showed that restricting the amount of ankle motion (knees not allowed over toes) led to a smaller ROM at the knee, higher changes in the curvature of the thoracic spine, and higher segmental motions within the trunk. Consequently, the stress placed on the back increased when ankle motion was restricted. This is in agreement with other research, “Although restricting forward movement of the knees may minimize stress on the knees, it is likely that forces are inappropriately transferred to the hips and low-back region. Thus, appropriate joint loading during this exercise may require the knees to move slightly past the toes” (Fry et al., 2003). Escamilla (2001) came to the conclusion that significant strength and sagittal plane mobility is required at the ankle for proper squat performance.

****

Felix Sempf, RKC, PhD Candidate, M.A. Sportscience, trains and instructs at the FIZ in Göttingen, Germany. He can be contacted by email at: felix.sempf@sport.uni-goettingen.de and his website: kettlebellperformance.de

Training Mindfully

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Robin Sinclear Kettlebell Press

Before becoming a fitness coach, I was a Paramedic for over 20 years. Responding to 9-1-1 calls for that length of time taught me a lot—and I honed the skill of trusting my instincts. I learned how to read people and situations within a matter of seconds. I became acutely aware that situations can change in an instant, and that sometimes we must adapt and adjust even the best plans. I also realized that my temperament, and a calm, confident, commanding presence could determine the outcome of a situation. If I had a poor attitude or questioned my abilities, things could quickly go sour. These abilities became very important life skills that I now use daily when coaching, and in my own training.

These skills came from a need to be aware—a practice of being mindful and present. As a Paramedic, I was taught a step-by-step rapid assessment of the pre-hospital scene and of the patient. Within a matter of seconds, I needed to take in a global view of the scene, establish safety for the patient and practitioners, determine the mechanism of injury, and take action to stabilize life-threatening injuries. Once all of that was done, I constantly needed to reassess the patient’s condition—which could rapidly change for better or worse. I wasn’t “great” at all of those things in the beginning of my career. It took time and practice to sharpen these skills without falling into common traps like tunnel vision or failing to re-evaluate whether my interventions were making my patient better or worse.

Robin Sinclear WindmillBeing mindful requires an attentiveness that helps us recognize the conditions around and within us. Most people are not really “there” most of the time. Instead of being present, their minds are caught up in their worries, fears, insecurities, the past, or the future. All of this disconnect and distraction is not productive when we are training. Injuries, poor performance, or just a lousy workout are often side effects of not being fully present.

Practicing mindful training is a worthwhile discipline. When your mind is with your body, you are established and engaged in the present moment. We can then observe and respect how our bodies feel, then we can work on trusting our instincts. We will know if we need to push harder or back off, if we should add weight or go lighter for more reps? We will also know if our recovery methods are effective.

If you are wondering how to incorporate mindfulness into your kettlebell training, then try this in your next training session to reevaluate your direction on every set:

  • Perform a set of an exercise
  • Take 10 seconds and ask yourself what you should do next
  • Choose from the following
    1. Use a heavier kettlebell for the next set
    2. Decrease weight for next set
    3. All is good, repeat exactly as before
    4. Do less reps
    5. Do more reps
    6. Stop entirely

A training plan—and the workouts within that training plan—must be adaptable and adjustable based on how we feel in the present moment. When we are present and attuned to our bodies, then we can listen to our instincts and align the workout based on those observations. If your training plan calls for a max effort lift on a day you feel less than 100%, it will probably be counterproductive. Why not change or modify your plan until you have a day that you feel like a badass? Why push when it won’t go well, then beat yourself up mentally because you didn’t hit the number you were “supposed” to hit that day? Does it really matter for the big picture?

Robin Sinclear Get-UpIn general, I find that men have a harder time putting their ego aside and dialing back their workouts when they aren’t feeling 100%. Their tendency is often to “push through it”. This is usually when an injury occurs. On the other hand, women tend to fear trying a heavier lift—even if they’re feeling strong. In both situations, it pays to have a good coach who can help you read the signals from your body, and guide you in the appropriate direction.

Your attitude can make or break your performance as well. And none of this is an excuse to phone it in, effort-wise. If you tell yourself you “can’t”, you will be right every time. Remaining calm, confident, and commanding a good outcome will generally lead to great things!

Next time you head to the gym, try practicing some mindful training. I say “practice” because it takes repeating this action to improve. You will catch yourself drifting away many times, and that’s ok as long as you can become aware and shift your mind back to the center. Over time you will learn to read your body and your internal performance cues.

Your body provides you with constant feedback, and you need to listen. The more you listen, the more feedback your body will provide. Eventually you will be able to use the insight and awareness you gain from this practice throughout other areas of your life as well.

***

Robin Sinclear, RKC-II, is the co-owner of Velocity Strength and Fitness in Chico, California. Her website is VelocityChico.com. She can be reached by email at velocitystrong@gmail.com or by phone at 530-520-2297. Follow Velocity Strength and Fitness on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Find Your Passion

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Jay Armstrong Split Press

I love training with kettlebells. The swing and kettlebell snatch are drills that help improve grip strength and increase cardiovascular capacity. The getup can improve core strength and balance. Regular training with a kettlebell can increase strength in a wide variety of areas and increase your functional mobility.

I also love the martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Regular practice of Tae Kwon Do will give you self-confidence and improve your ability to keep track of where you are as you move in 3-dimensional space. The ability to defend ourselves will allow us to face many of life’s challenges without undue fear of failure. We learn that we are capable of much more than we ever thought possible through the application of perseverance.

Jay Armstrong with KettlebellHaving a genuine love of kettlebell training and Tae Kwon Do makes it easy for me to find the time to practice these activities. In fact, I feel that an essential part of me is missing if I can’t find time for what I love. Yes, I am addicted. I must have air, water, food, love for my family, and I must move. Yes, I am a very lucky guy. But, what about you? Why are you exercising? What do you want to accomplish? How are you going to get from here to there?

Most people don’t want to dig deeply for the answers to these questions, but that is a very important part of the process. Some new clients come to me because their doctor or loved ones have told them that they “need” to exercise. Other people are hoping to find the magic bullet, pill or potion that will help them lose weight and look good naked. Many of these people are unaware that you simply cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

If you “need to”, “have to”, or “must” exercise then this activity or any other activity may soon start to feel like WORK. And as you probably already know, we tend to avoid things that we don’t enjoy. It will be difficult to incorporate an exercise program into an ongoing lifestyle change if the only reason is that we “ought” to do it. We will very often fall off the wagon and stop doing what we “should” be doing. Perhaps we should call it training or practice so that it can be something we “want” to do.

Enjoy physical activitySeek out a physical activity that is enjoyable, and therefore sustainable. Perhaps kettlebell training is such an activity. Kettlebell training can be done in a group class setting. This will allow you to share energy with others in the class. Spending time with other like-minded people can take an exercise program out of the “have to” category and turn it into something you want to do.

This is the first part of integrating a successful exercise program into your lifestyle. Make sure that the physical activity you choose as “exercise” is enjoyable, so that you will stick with the program. Exactly what will make it enjoyable is solely up to you. It can be camaraderie, competition or stress reduction. For most people, incorporating an exercise program into their lifestyle will bring their lives into a better balance and make life more enjoyable.

Here are a couple of things that make kettlebell training so appealing to me:

Jay Armstrong Kettlebell Get-UpFirstly, the kettlebell swing (when done correctly) provides an incredible number of health, strength, and endurance benefits for a relatively short investment of time and equipment. This means that I don’t need to do 50 exercises for each individual muscle. The kettlebell swing gives me a lot of bang for the buck. If I want more of a strength challenge I can simply increase the weight. If I want more of a cardio effect, I can increase the length of the sets or decrease the rest periods.

Secondly, the kettlebell provides a wide variety of training options. From halos, rows, getups, curls, squats, presses, and even kettlebell juggling, you can always find a fun and challenging drill. This is important, because boredom is the enemy. Whenever the brain checks out and we lose focus, we might as well be walking on a treadmill while reading a book and putting on makeup (no offense ladies). But, we can develop and improve skills, practice more safely, and enjoy our training sessions more when we are engaged and having fun. Yes, hard work can be fun! Yes, you can and should be improving your athletic skills.

Seek out a qualified kettlebell instructor who will insure that you are following the important, underlying principles. A good instructor will help keep you engaged, excited, and inspired to make progress.

Kettlebell training may be exactly what you need to add a sustainable physical challenge to your lifestyle.

Get up and move.

 

***

Jay Armstrong is a Senior RKC, 6 Degree Black Belt TKD, and Master Z-Health Trainer.  The past 30 years have been dedicated to helping others develop confidence through increased strength and pain-free, exceptional mobility.  His quest for knowledge continues.  He runs The Kettlebell Club in Houston, Texas.

 

Why Kettlebells Will Improve Your Life

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The kettlebell—your universal remedy.
The kettlebell—your universal remedy.

In teaching people of all walks of life, I have observed several distinct effects of kettlebell training. Some are obvious, others much less so…

If you are new to kettlebells you might be wondering what impact this new implement might have on you if you start using it consistently. This article should give you a good idea of what to expect, and it will probably strengthen your resolve to give kettlebell training a try.

On the other hand, if you are already an kettlebell expert or an HKC or RKC Instructor, you may find that you have already experienced or witnessed these effects with your clients. When I first started teaching kettlebells, it was sometimes difficult to convince potential clients or new students that kettlebells were right for them. In following paragraphs I will try to summarize my observations regarding the positive impact of kettlebell training.

Kettlebells Are Perfect For Making You Fit in a Limited Amount of Time

We all know that training promotes physical and mental health. What has changed in recent years is that science has now started to explain why. How muscles impact the immune system, or the effects of aerobic exercise on brain function are somewhat new areas of research. In the past, there was only the subjective experience of people like John F. Kennedy or Jack LaLanne who promoted an active lifestyle many years ago, but today we have profound scientific explanations for why everyone needs to move on a regular basis.

Yet, while medical science has started to understand the importance of movement for our overall health, the reality of our lives has also rapidly changed—and many people are more unhealthy than ever before.

Our lives have become faster and more stressful than in the history of mankind. To cope with this increased speed, we rely more and more on technology—therefore we’re moving less than any of our ancestors. Aside from obvious things like driving wherever possible or using escalators instead of stairs, there are more subtle changes that rob you of the opportunity to move. Internet stores make everything—even kettlebells—available at your fingertips without leaving your house.

We need movement more than ever, but we have less time and fewer opportunities for it. The average gym class or 45 minutes on the treadmill can not compensate for the lack of movement during your work-week—unless you can train several hours per day.

The kettlebell is the perfect solution for this problem. With its off-centered mass, it trains your muscles and your heart at the same time. Exercises like swings, cleans and snatches train your entire posterior chain—the group of muscles, ligaments, and tendons most important for a healthy spine and good postural alignment.

Kettlebells Naturally Improve Your Posture

Correctly swinging a kettlebell activates two muscles that are usually dormant in much of modern society: the gluteus maximus and the latissimus dorsi. These muscles are the two most important players in our posterior chain. Luckily, we can use the kettlebell to get them back into action.

The gluteus maximus (or more crudely defined, your butt muscle) is one of the biggest and strongest muscles in the body. If it functions as it should, it enables you to lift heavy objects from the ground and also protects your lumbar spine. In the kettlebell swing, its role is to forcefully lock out the hips. One of the first exercises I use with beginners when I teach the swing is the shoulder bridge (you lie on your back with your feet pulled toward the butt and push your hips to the ceiling). We start with this exercise for only one reason—so the beginners can experience what it feels like when their glutes are tensed. I rarely have my beginners do more than 30-40 swings during the first lesson and they are still sore the next day—guess where!

Active glutes lead to unlocked hip flexors and allow the pelvis to get into a neutral position, the foundation for a naturally s-shaped spine. The activation of the glutes is why sometimes even a few short kettlebell sessions can lead to an improved postural alignment.

The second muscle group, the latissimus dorsi (or the lats) is mainly responsible for all upper body pulling movements, but they also help with your press if you use them correctly. Additionally, the lats are able to stabilize the upper back and protect the shoulders.

In the swing, the lats are used to keep the kettlebell from pulling your shoulders forward and they also counter rotation in one-arm swings.

Kettlebells Bring Vigor and Youth Back

Have you ever noticed that you can accurately guess someone’s age from fairly far away by watching how they move? An older person is usually more restricted and moves gingerly. On the other hand, children move with mobility and vigor—at least until we make them sit still for hours every day.

For beginners, one of the hardest concepts in Hardstyle kettlebell training to understand is the explosive nature of the movements. We are not just standing up with the bell in hand, but are exploding out of the hinge and tensing the whole body in the top position. Movement of this quality simply does not exist in our every day lives. The average adult unlearned fast and crisp movements. With kettlebells, your body learns that it is not dangerous to move fast, and you will soon start to move as you did in your youth.

After beginners understand this idea and move more dynamically, they usually feel very good and empowered. They break the chains which have restricted their movement for years. It’s a great feeling, and you usually can see it in their eyes.

If you are wondering if this paragraph is dedicated only to a certain age group, it is not! Kettlebell training works for people in their late teens as well as for senior citizens older than 60. The only real difference is that older beginners will have more movement habits to unlearn, and will need to be more cautious in the process. A trusted RKC Instructor can be very helpful in these situations.

There is no age limit for kettlebell training
There is no age limit for kettlebell training

Kettlebells Allow You to Express Yourself

The last aspect of kettlebell training I would like to discuss in this article is breathing. When watching people train, one of the first things you will notice is their rhythmic and loud breathing. Some people, especially the ladies will be slightly appalled when confronted with this for the first time. We raised in a culture where the sounds our bodies produce are considered to be inappropriate—which is kind of weird if you think about it. Therefore we always try to avoid or conceal those sounds, so it can be shocking when you first enter a gym and see a group swinging a kettlebells and sounding like a gathering of steam engines! What a strange sight!

Deep and pressurized breathing has several positive effects on our body. Most importantly, it activates the diaphragm.

Aside from these physical effects, I also observed that we are psychologically effected. It is similar to that of the Kiai, the blood-curdling Tae Kwon Do war cry you can hear during the keykpa (board breaking). Beginners always struggle with it and feel strange to call out this loudly. It is the same with the Hardstyle breathing during a good kettlebell session, you will hear hisses, grunts and even yells. Sometimes the rhythmic sounds you hear from a group swinging and pressing together can sound like a weird kind of music 😉

When you overcome the internalized reflexes of your upbringing and allow your breath—the most fundamental function of your physical existence—to be heard, it seems to flip a switch in your brain which makes it easier to express your needs. It literally liberates you to make yourself heard.

Conclusion

If you are already using kettlebells, you will have experienced the transformative nature of this seemingly archaic training tool. I would be glad If you could find the time to share your own experiences in the comments.

If you have not yet started training with kettlebells, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. Expect it to be a humbling experience in the beginning, but know that it has the power to make you better and healthier than you are today. A good coach can help anyone get a good start. It will not be comfortable, it will not be easy, but it will definitely be worth it!

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RKC Team Leader Florian Kiendl is a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and runs a Martial Arts Gym in a small town close to Munich (Germany). He made it his mission to help his students to improve their movement and overall health. In his search for ways to overcome the movement restrictions of his students (and his own) he found the RKC and now works together with Master RKC Robert Rimoczi and others to help as many people as possible to gain back their Strength and Agility.

He writes a regular Blog at blog.kettlebellgermany.de and offers workshops all over Germany teaching the RKC Kettlebell exercises: KettlebellGermany.de.
If you have questions or comments on the article feel free to email him at florian@kettlebellgermany.de

3 Ways to Get More from Your Kettlebells

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Master RKC Josh Henkin Overhead Press

Kettlebells were a big change for me—far beyond just adding swings, get-ups, and squats to my training. The whole concept of kettlebells made me re-evaluate the tools I used and made me reconsider how many tools I really needed to accomplish a specific fitness goal. In many ways, kettlebells got me thinking more about the big picture. Soon, I was solving fitness needs more effectively. I remember when Dragon Door kettlebells only came in three sizes—16kg, 24kg, and 32kg. Back then, most people didn’t consider switching to a lighter or heavier kettlebell to be the default way to make an exercise harder or easier. That’s what I loved about kettlebells in the first place—we were taught to think about them a bit differently, and I want to share that with YOU!

Many people think they will outgrow their kettlebells as they work through various movements and progressions, but I have yet to see that truly be the case. In fact, by not automatically jumping to a different size kettlebell, you will find yourself breaking plateaus and feeling stronger much faster. The following three kettlebell techniques will show you how!

Dead Stop Anything

Since cleans, snatches, and swings are essential in kettlebell training, it’s important to note how to progress these movements. Time after time I am shocked to see how dead stop progressions can change so much about someone’s movements—and how many strengths and weaknesses are revealed.

While the dead-stop technique is definitely beneficial for swings, I find it has the BIGGEST impact on cleans and snatches, because they don’t have any pre-swing to build from the powerful eccentric pre-load. Ironically, since many people love deadlifts for the same reason, I am surprised this technique is not more popular for kettlebell ballistic training. Personally, I have found VERY few people who can double clean two 32kg or bigger kettlebells from a dead stop for sets of five. But, every time I do meet someone who can, the strength transfer to other lifts is pretty amazing!

Stop!

Since many popular fitness approaches are based on completing a workout in a certain amount of time, we often overlook the value of adding specific pauses. The great thing about pauses is that they can add challenge to any kettlebell lift from snatches to get-ups to squats.

It is amazing what the addition of a few seconds pause can do to the weight of a kettlebell. Suddenly, a somewhat light kettlebell can feel MUCH heavier!

But there are more reasons we should use pauses. On a basic level, pauses give us an opportunity to look at our positions and alignment. When people try to fly through their workouts, it’s common to see a loss of proper posture and cheated ranges of motion. Pauses help prevent technique breakdown and also accomplish some of the benefits we discussed in dead stop training. And with pauses, we can hold in a wide variety of positions. There is great value in holding the catch of a clean or snatch, the bottom of a squat, or even specific phases of the get-up. All of these pause examples can help build untapped strength.

Finally, pauses are an opportunity to work on isometric strength, which is valuable but often difficult to add to most fitness programs. Since isometric training is typically only effective in about a 15 degree range of the action, it may not seem worthwhile. But that limitation is a GREAT reason to work on it at both the bottom and top ranges of motion of a given exercise. At the top, isometric strength can do wonders for building great core strength. And the bottom the range of motion is typically where we need the most strength in a lift.

Perform the Underdog Movement!

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to teach an RKC Workshop in China. During the course we always demonstrate and teach “accessory” kettlebell drills. These drills aren’t tested in the RKC, but that doesn’t make them any less valuable. In truth, many of these additional kettlebell drills are just as important as the more popular and tested exercises.

For example, the kettlebell single leg deadlift has amazing transfer to swings, cleans, and snatches. Many people would benefit from performing the single leg deadlift because it builds greater stability and strength in the lower legs, hips, and trunk. It is so easy to catch and correct compensatory movements with drills like the kettlebell single leg deadlift.

Master RKC Josh Henkin Coaching One-Leg Deadlifts at the China RKC
Master RKC Josh Henkin Coaching Single Leg Deadlifts at the China RKC

Bent rows also make this list of “underdog movements”. I’ve heard some people say that bent rows are “too hard” on the back, but I think this row variation is a great foundational drill for all our ballistic kettlebell exercises. Think of the bent row as an alternative plank—if you can’t hold the position with the right posture, then you may not be really ready to produce power.

Rows also help the shoulder joint with all the overhead work involved with kettlebell training. Due to the typical modern lifestyle and training, the muscles on most people’s back sides are typically weaker. While some trainers will say that you just need to include pull-ups in your training to fix this imbalance, our lats are internal rotators of the shoulder and can actually increase the shoulders’ tendency to round forward. Think the shoulders of elite swimmers. Fortunately, bent rows can help many of the muscles which pull the shoulders back.

But there’s a crucial trick—while many people can lift a kettlebell when they row, they might not actually get their shoulder blades to move. We need to see and feel the shoulder blades coming together as you bring the weight upwards. When this happens, we will also sense if you have scapular movement. If you do not have this movement, it can impact your overhead strength and performance.

Since they are important, I don’t want you to just add some of these “other” kettlebell movements, but instead, PRIORITIZE them in your training. The benefits will include increased performance and resistance to injury.

Just Three?

Adding three things might sound easy, but they all take discipline to perform. You may honestly feel humbled by some of the lighter kettlebells you thought you’d bested. But if you truly have the desire to get better, you will never feel like you’ve grown out of your kettlebells after you experience the amazing benefits from these three simple strategies!

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Josh Henkin, Master RKC, CSCS has been a RKC instructor since 2003 and has implemented kettlebell programs for major Division I programs, SWAT teams, and many different general fitness programs. Josh is also the creator of the DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training system where he is a highly sought after presenter worldwide. He can be reached at info@ultimatesandbagtraining.com or http://DVRTFitness.com. Josh Henkin is also the author of DVRT, The Ultimate Sandbag Training System now available in paperback and ebook format.

How I Improved my Barbell Deadlift with Kettlebell Training

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Katie Petersen Outdoor Kettlebell Press
I like a lot of different exercises, but my all time favorite is the deadlift. I think it is one of the best movements for building overall strength. The most weight you’ll ever move or transfer through your body happens in a deadlift. The sheer power, strength and pride of deadlifting can be intoxicating!

I am not a powerlifter, but like many of us, I want to be as strong as possible. Since “strong” only shows up when we are mentally and physically connected, how do we get there? We must learn (and continue relearning) proper technique—then practice it a lot. I often want to do EVERYTHING I can to work towards my goal, so I will read books, watch videos, and test numerous techniques and programs. I have even had the great fortune of working with world-renowned strength coach, Marty Gallagher. But, the RKC system has yet another “trick” you can use to continually make progress. Implementing a practice of the RKC-I and RKC-II skills will not only improve your work with kettlebells, but will also fortify your strength and awareness in heavy barbell grinds like deadlifts.  I want to share my story of how setting specific goals, adhering to a dedicated program, and working from an RKC foundation can skyrocket your strength in any lift.

The Beginning

My deadlift day is Monday—I look forward to it, fear it, and plan to conquer it every week. This obsession began on January 1, 2014 when the deadlift first challenged me to be better, stronger, and most importantly, smarter.

A few months before, I had started a 10-week program with a 1RM goal of 250lbs. I don’t know what my true max was at the time, but I had never lifted more than 225lb (I could achieve 2 or 3 reps at this weight). I had been deadlifting for years, so this wasn’t an absolute beginning. But until now, I hadn’t stuck to a specific program, I mostly practiced the method of “go heavier next week”. It wasn’t until Rob Miller introduced me to an Ed Coan 10-week protocol, that I found myself finally sticking to a plan. I loved and needed the structure.

Seven weeks later I was supposed to hit 235lb x 2, which seemed impossible even for 1 rep. I tried it on New Year’s Day, so I was a little hungover, tired, and a little less inhibited. If it didn’t go up, I could chalk it up to not being rested. This took away some of the pressure, and I stopped seeing failure just as negative feedback. I confidently gave the 235lb lift everything I had…and failed, but it MOVED.

Everything changed in this moment—and I was determined to lift that weight. My body told me that I had the strength. I walked away for 5 minutes, thinking, “You are stronger than this; break that bar in half; pack your shoulders and jump off the ground! Crack your hips through that bar like it’s the heaviest kettlebell you’ve ever swung!”

As I stepped to the bar this time, I vividly pictured a dramatic life-or-death situation like being trapped under a car. This fear became an opportunity for courage, and better yet, POWER. It was survival! While this might sound extreme, it worked. (Now my set up includes the following visualization: While I lock into the bar, I concentrate inside my body, seeing every vector pull into alignment. I coil every space between the muscle fibers tighter and tighter until I am busting at the seams with potential energy.) That day, after one last huge inhale, I drove my feet into the ground then I exploded upward with focused intention. The 235lb flew upwards for 2 reps with no problem. I got 240 that day and walked away proud. Then things got serious.

I realized there was more missing from my routine than just a super solid deadlifting program. I needed to call on my RKC training in the same systematic way for my strength to flourish.

The RKC Connection…

Double kettlebell front squats are an obvious choice for leg strength; but holding heavy kettlebells in the rack also forces a major flexed lat/stabilized shoulder position. You won’t get this same upper back/shoulder work with a barbell squat. As most of you know, the lower you go—and the heavier the weight—double front squats make your abs very sore.  But this will soon improve how much force your core can transfer in any “ground-up” lift like the deadlift.

The strict pull-up, as taught in the RKC-II, maintains a braced core (hollow ab/neutral pelvis) while the load on the lats increases through the pull.  These mechanics reinforce the same lat/ab tension line that must be sustained in every deadlift rep.

One of my favorite tools, the Turkish get-up, unlocks an insane amount of body awareness. It harnesses shoulder stability by drawing on total uninterrupted lat tension—also needed for the deadlift. Plus all the overhead kettlebell movements help cement the packed shoulder position—overhead walks, presses, windmills, snatches—and they bolster a steel-pillared core that can act like a rip cord when necessary. Speaking of rip cord, snatches, double snatches, and swings continue to challenge explosive capabilities (while developing lat strength and control).

While these kettlebell movements were in my workouts, I had not defined any real goals for them in a while. It was clear that kettlebells were reinforcing my barbell movements, so increasing the load with my kettlebell exercises should help add weight to my deadlift.

I decided to work on the following kettlebell goals for the next 10 months:

Katie Petersen Pressing KettlebellMax out:

Iron Maiden: 24kg 1-Arm press, 1RM

24kg Pull up, 1RM

24kg Pistol squat, 1RM

32kg Turkish get-up, 1RM

275lb Deadlift, 1 RM

Volume:

24kg Double kettlebell front squats, 8 reps

Strict pull-ups, 10 reps @ bodyweight

20kg Snatch, 100 reps under 10min/gain control of 24kg snatch

I did not plan to attack all these goals at once, but some of the movements worked well with my current deadlift routine, so I added the following 3x/week (my bodyweight @132lbs):

Day 1

Rounds x Reps

5 x 1 Get-up, R/L, 24kg

5 x 10 1-Arm swings, R/L, 20-24kg

Day 3

5 x 1 Get-up – 20kg

5 x 10 Kettlebell snatches R/L, 18-20kg

Day 5

1 x 3 get-ups R/L (consecutive), 16kg; 2×2 get-ups R/L (consecutive), 20kg; 2×1 get-ups, 24kg

5 x 10- Two-arm swings, 32kg

 

The Journey

Practicing a new deadlift stance at the Purposefully Primitive workshop, March 2014
Practicing a new deadlift stance at the Purposefully Primitive workshop, March 2014

I successfully completed the last 3 weeks of my deadlift program with addition of the above kettlebell routine. The next “cycle” was several weeks of higher volume but lighter weight deadlifting while building up my presses, pull-ups, and front squats. I waited to start my next deadlifting cycle until after Dragon Door’s Purposefully Primitive workshop that March which was a unique opportunity to work with Marty Gallagher, one of the world’s greatest lifting coaches.

My plan was not perfect and underwent many changes. I reignited the original 10-week Ed Coan program with a new 1RM goal, smarter technique, and a kettlebell strategy. Setting goals across the board kept me committed and focused all week long, not just on deadlift day. I am happy to say I surpassed all of the goals listed and am setting new ones. In fact, I was able to perform a 1 arm press and strict pull up with the 26kg kettlebell just a few days before writing this!

With more aggressive goals in any lifting modality, you may need to recast the numbers from time to time. I consulted with Marty this past May and am now working toward a 340lb deadlift with his plan. While I am making my weights each week, 340lb is still a relatively terrifying number! If I miss any of my upcoming weekly goals, I may have to lower the outcome goal to 330 or 325lbs, but this is just part of the journey. With a set framework and a measurable goal, you are far more likely to continue making genuine progress.

While this blog post centers on the deadlift, integrating the RKC system into your workouts will increase your strength in all of your lifts. Combine RKC skills with a sound, goal-based training program, and you will unlock a new world of strength potential. The journey becomes less about the lifts and more about the power we learn to access.

Katie practices new cues from Marty Gallagher; warming up with 225lbs for 6 reps:

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Katie Petersen is an RKC Team Leader, PCC Instructor, and also holds nutrition/training certifications with Poliquin, Precision Nutrition, and NASM.  She owns Active Evolution, a successful training and nutrition counseling business in Chicago, working with both online and local clients.  Katie also has a niche clientele of fitness competitors (bodybuilding, bikini, figure), as she has several years experience as an nationally ranked NPC Figure Athlete.  For online or personal training, visit her website, www.activeevolution.net or email Katie directly at petersenkatie1@gmail.com. Subscribe to her YouTube channels, Katie Petersen RKC and We Train Chicago to follow her training videos and tips.

The Single Rep Dead Stop Swing, Clean, Snatch Workout

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Master RKC Andrea Du Cane and Senior RKC Timothy Spencer Demonstrate the RKC Arm Bar

As I travel around teaching HKC and RKC workshops, I notice a common problem (theme – challenge), the sloppy start/stop of a kettlebell ballistic lift.

Imagine this scenario: someone is getting set up to swing; it doesn’t matter if it’s 2-handed, single arm or double. They stand over the kettlebell, lift it up, and rock it back a couple of times between their legs and THEN swing it back far enough to load their hips and explode up.

What’s wrong with this picture? The set-up was not correct. It was not focused or properly executed. There must be an intention and preparation before the start of the pull—before anything happens.

I like to say in regards to all kettlebell lifts, “You’re only as good as your set-up”.

Here is the correct way to start a swing (clean or snatch):

  • Place the kettlebell a foot or two in front of you.
  • Bend forward and grab the kettlebell handle.
  • Pull the kettlebell slightly toward you, while engaging your lats.
  • Set your weight way back on your heels, while keeping your feet planted & spine neutral.
  • “Hike” the kettlebell back behind you—fast.
  • Explode your hips forward and feet down into the ground. Let your arms be propelled forward by the force of the hips.

That’s it. Simple. No lifting the kettlebell up and rocking it a couple of times before hiking it back and exploding up. One crisp explosive hike pass and forward movement is all it takes!

This is the same for ALL the kettlebell dynamic lifts; including double kettlebell swings and cleans.

Scenario #2: someone has just finished a great set of swings, but on the last rep they fall forward while rounding their back and then dropping the bell down in front of them.  They nearly topple forward.

No further explanation is needed here, this is simply dangerous. The most common time for an injury to occur during any kettlebell exercise is on the last rep or while the kettlebell is being set down.

In both cases—the first rep or the last rep of a set—the lack of focus, intention and safety is to blame.

The answer to this problem is to training your single-rep or dead-stop swings. In essence that is what the single-rep is: the start and end of a swing, clean or snatch.

Programming single-rep sets is an easy way to reinforce good technique throughout a set of any ballistic lift.

The truth is, they are HARDER than continuous reps because you lose the assistance of gravity during the backswing. With single-rep workouts, each rep is initiated by the power of the lifter. The hips and lats have to work that much harder to generate the force to project the kettlebell up. Hence, an additional bonus is increased force production and explosive power. So this type of training is perfect for any athlete.

You can also modify single-rep workouts for any level kettlebell lifter.

Single-rep 2-handed swings are a progression to learning continuous swings, but for the advanced lifter, doing single rep heavy cleans or snatches or double swings and cleans, puts the burn in your butt!

Here are some workout examples (note: “SR” stands for Single Rep):

Beginner:

SR-Swings:   2-handed for 5 reps

Continuous:   2-handed for 10 reps

Repeat as long as you wish

OR use timed sets for 25-30 seconds of work to equal rest

 

Intermediate: (proficient with cleans and snatches)

SR-Swings 1-arm   5-10 reps left/right

Continuous 1-arm   10 reps left/right

SR- Cleans 1-arm   5-10 reps left/right

Continuous 1-arm   10 reps left/right

Repeat as long as desired or timed sets

 

2nd workout

SR-Swings 1-arm   5-10 left/right

SR- Cleans 1-arm   5-10 left/right

SR-Snatch 1-arm   5-10 left/right

Repeat as long as desired or timed sets

 

Advanced

SR-double swings   5-10 reps

SR-double cleans   5-10 reps

Repeat as desired or timed sets

***

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