RKC School of Strength

Official blog of the RKC

Running 10 Miles Without Any Training Runs

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Paul Britt Tough Mudder

I hate running. I really mean it. I would rather go shopping for furniture with my wife and kids, then run around the block. So when I participated in the 3.5 mile Warrior Dash Challenge, I did not include running as part on my training regimen. I fully believed that I would be able to train for it without actually running. And I was correct. I easily completed the Warrior Dash in about 35 minutes.

Later I decided to take on the 10 mile Tough Mudder. I felt that that the Tough Mudder would be a great way to test my theory that you can run a 10 mile course with no running during the training leading up to it. The last time I put in anywhere near this much mileage was as a young soldier back in the 90’s.

I signed up for the January Tough Mudder on November 27th giving me 62 days to prepare for the challenge. I chose a training protocol consisting of kettlebells and bodyweight exercises. There are so many different training thoughts and programs with the kettlebell and within the RKC. I looked at several different ways to make it work such as VO2 Max, Secret Service Snatch Test and several other tried and true programs, but it came down to swings.

The swing is awesome in its simplicity and ease of use. I like the fact that while not injury proof, swings are pretty safe to do for lots of reps and sets. I felt that the general template of time under load was exactly what I would need. The organizers advised that the course would take at least 2:30 minutes to complete so I needed to add more swing time. I also decided that I would need to use a mix of heavier and lighter kettlebells and most likely double kettlebells to be able to develop the strength and stamina to last the 10 miles. What a great testament to Hard Style and the RKC if I could actually pull off a 10 mile run without any running beforehand.

I began the program swinging double 32kg kettlebells for 30 sec on/30 sec off for 15 minutes. The next day was 15 minutes of get-ups with a 32kg, but not straight from prone to standing. Instead, I worked each piece of the get-up for at least two reps. I was able to make it to the windmill position in the 15 minute time frame. It was my goal to add 5 minutes a week to swings and get-ups. The plan was to hit 45 minutes of each exercise. I trained 4 days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

Month 1
Monday/Thursday

FMS Correctives
Double swings started out 15 min a session and increased to 35 min a session over the month
Relax Into Stretch

Paul Britt Practicing FMS Correctives for Shoulder Mobility
RKC Team Leader Paul Britt Practicing FMS Correctives

Tuesday/Friday

FMS Correctives
Get Ups 15 min a session increased to 30 min a session over the month
Relax into Stretch

After 4 weeks I reevaluated the program (3 weeks actually, I had a 7 day break due to the flu), How far I had progressed and where I still needed to be. I was up to 35 minutes of double swings with the 32’s and 30 minutes of get-ups with a single 32kg. I felt really good, but I decided that I needed to really push it a little harder. At 4 weeks out, I was a little worried about if I was up to the task, I knew that I was getting stronger, but starting to worry it wouldn’t work. I felt that I was on the right path, but not quite sure where I stood. I was not going to do any training runs, since the goal was not to run before the race.

In looking at the obstacles, distance and what people were blogging about the race, I decided to increase my swing weights to the 40kgs. That would add strength and power that I would be need for some of the 19 obstacles I would face in the Tough Mudder. At this point in my training, it was a big jump and actually, my swing weight was heavier than my own body weight. After making the weight jump, I realized this strategy would also help with mental toughness; because swinging two heavy kettlebells is hard! The first day of the double 40’s lasted about 20 minutes. And I only lasted that long because I refused to quit.

It was during this time that the “10,000 Swings in 21 Days Challenge” started to float around the internet. I thought about it and decided that it fit within my training program/thought process. I figured that more swings would fit the bill. In looking at the numbers, it would take 500 swings a day to reach the 10,000 in 21 days. I knew that I wanted to keep the heavy double swings in the mix and wanted to get as many swings in the 21 Days as possible. Working towards the weight I wanted to hit with double kettlebell swings would probably keep me from 10,000 in 21 days, but I had 25 days of training left in my programming before my 4 days of deloading to be rested. I decided to try and get all of the swings in, but would not sweat it if I didn’t.

The modifications had me swinging almost every day for up to 45 minutes a session. I knew I could not keep up the heavy doubles for 21 days so I changed my schedule to have a medium, light and play weight during the week. The play weight was whatever I felt like messing with on that day for lots of reps. My training week was typically: heavy double swings on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and either two hand swings with the Beast or double 32 swings on the other days. The “play” day was exactly that, no real plan of action. Some days it was throwing out a bunch of kettlebells; 48kg, 40kg, 32kg and 24kg and doing 10 swings with each for multiple sets until I was tired., other days it was swings with the 24kgs’s. One thing I did find from practicing every day was that my swings got better, a lot better.

I ended up with 8500 swings on the 21st day and 10,000 by the 24th.

Month 2
Monday/Wednesday/Friday

FMS Correctives
Two-handed or double swings 300-500
Indian Clubs as active recovery

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday

FMS Correctives
Heavy Double swings 200-500
Indian Clubs as active recovery between each set
Pull ups for 3-4 sets of 3-5

How did it work out for me? I completed the Tough Mudder in 2 hours 45 minutes. It was a hard race, with plenty of obstacles to climb over, crawl under and swing from, and lots of running. But the running was actually the easy part. I did not realize how much swimming we would have to do and the massive amounts of swings dropped my body fat to under 8% and I added 10lbs to my bodyweight. It made it hard to float and the cold water really sucked the heat out of me. It was interesting,  I read the 4 Hour Body by Tim Ferris the week of the race and found his section on running a marathon advocated interval training. It made me realize that I was on the right path with this training program.

Paul Britt Tough Mudder FInish Line

What would I do differently? I would continue with the swings, but keep the get-ups in there to improve core and rotational strength. I had no issues with the posterior chain after the race. My frontal core however, was pretty sore for a few days afterward. I think that if I had kept the get-ups in the mix, I would not have hurt so badly. It stemmed from climbing, monkey bars and helping boost others over obstacles. The grind power derived from the get-ups would have helped in all of those activities.

What is the summary of this little experiment? It is possible to train for a mid-range running event without running in training. Will you have record shattering times? Most likely not, but the goal was just seeing if it could be done. I now know that it can be done. I see a few ways to improve, if I chose to do it again. I would keep the swing volume high, add more get-ups and I would add clean and jerks to the program. The clean and jerks would help develop power strength and some mental toughness.

 

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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.

Kaizen–The Ancient Japanese Art of Continuous, Incremental Self-Improvement

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Florian Kiendl Beast Kettlebell SwingI was introduced to this term years ago when I worked as an IT Consultant for a German automotive supplier. I learned that it was this ancient Japanese concept that transformed Toyota from a small and inefficient car manufacturer into the de facto worldwide industry leader in production efficiency and accuracy. Today virtually all major car manufacturers use the Just in Time concepts invented by Toyota to produce their products. These concepts can save tons of money in production costs while maximizing quality at the same time.

At this point you might think: “And what has this to do with me? I’m a fitness professional!”

Think again! What kind of results might a simple concept—with the power to turn a young company that started out producing the cheapest and most error prone cars on this planet into an industry leader in a few short years—produce if applied to your business or training?

Interested? Then stay with me.

What is Kaizen?
The roots of this concept lie deep in the Japanese culture. It has enabled people to create some of the most magnificent works of art and craft in history. The approach is simple and yet extremely efficient in itself.

Instead of working their butts off until a project is finished or has completely failed (as most westerners tend to do) the ancient Japanese would regularly sit down and assess the process of creation and make minor adjustments along the way. This way they can gain a much deeper understanding of the task at hand, enabling them to complete it easier with better results.

Florian Kiendl One-Arm Kettlebell SwingKaizen and the Hardstyle Kettlebell
For us as Trainers…

Applied to training this might be the idea of starting out with a given program and adjusting it little by little to create the most effective version of that program along the way—instead of running a full cycle of it then looking at the results and starting over with a completely new program if they are less than satisfactory.

Kaizen is about digging deep into the process and learning how to execute it in the most efficient way during the process, rather than assessing the results and making adjustments afterwards. In a way this fits nicely to our Hardstyle approach for kettlebell training. Instead of banging out as many reps as possible and adding as much weight as possible to any given move, we try to improve the technical execution of the exercise to make it as powerful and crisp as possible.

The biggest problem with Kaizen for our western minds is that it takes more effort to track the improvement because the changes are incremental. If you improve your swing, making it more powerful while keeping the weight and reps the same, it is difficult to assess your progress. In contrast, if you step up in volume or weight, the progress can be easily seen by anybody. However, my experience tells me that stepping up in volume or weight too fast can hinder your progress—especially with the ballistics.

What can Kaizen do for your Business?
The biggest impact of using the Kaizen approach will be to your business. Whether you are an independent trainer or a gym owner you will profit from it by:

  • The almost automatic adaptation to changes in your environment.
  • You can avoid reorganizing your business, which can be a pain and will always lessen your income.
  • You will have the systems in place to respond quickly to your customer’s needs
  • Your employees will feel like they can actively influence their work environment and will be happier and more productive.

When I used to work for Microsoft as an IT Consultant, they had the policy of reorganizing the entire company every other year. Aside from the obvious—adapting to a fast changing market environment—the idea was to keep the company (and especially the employees) agile and hinder the growth of rigid structures. However the reorgs where a pain for most the employees and often did not make a lot of sense. Even a small business like a garage gym can be quite complex and it can be difficult to predict the side effects of a major change. By keeping the changes small and confined, you can avoid disturbances and more easily observe which changes are effective and which are not.

Take advantage of the Kaizen approach in 5 easy steps

Step 1: Know your Destination
This should be clear but every so often I meet trainers who do not think about what they want to achieve. We are an industry of enthusiasts, who do what we love. People whose first priority is making money work in banks or sell insurance contracts. Don’t get me wrong, doing the things you love for a living is the best thing you can do for yourself and your environment, but if you do something for a living it must sustain your lifestyle. Training 10 people in your garage gym is a nice pastime but it won’t pay your bills.

So, you need to be clear about where your business should be next year, the year after, or in five years. Knowing your destination gives you the means to navigate through the chances and risks of your daily business and eventually arrive somewhere.

If you are a trainer in a gym, you might have the feeling that this is something you don’t have to worry about. But please follow me on a little thought experiment. First take a moment to sit down and ponder the ups and downs of your daily job. Now try to picture yourself in 10 – 15 years doing the same job you do today (considering factors like family, children, getting older). If this is a pleasant thing to imagine, then congratulations on having the job of your life. If not, you need to decide where you want to go from here.

FlorianKiendl Double Kettlebell Press

Step 2: Embrace Change
There is a German saying that goes like this:

“If the wind of change is blowing, some people build walls – others build windmills”

Make sure you belong to the latter group. For many of us it is quite unsettling that everything is constantly changing. If that is the case for you, think of it this way—the only thing that is truly constant is CHANGE. If you expect and anticipate changes to happen, you can probably profit from them. If you try to keep things as they are today, it is only a question of when you will be overtaken by reality.

Step 3: Take time to analyze your situation
This is hard, but absolutely critical. If you are like me, sometimes it feels like everything happens at the same time and you have barely time to react to the most urgent demands. However you can succeed in the long run if you are reactive mode. It is absolutely critical that you make it a habit to regularly assess your situation. Only this can give you the power to improve your situation and avoid problems.

  • Actively ask for feedback. Whether they are your clients, employees, or business partners actively ask them to tell you what they like and what could be improved.
  • Make sure your clients have the means to give you anonymous feedback. If you wait until they are prepared to tell you to your face, you have probably lost them as a customer.
  • Have a regular meeting with your staff to you ask them for their take on what’s going on. In this meeting you should also collect ideas about what could be improved.
  • Take time to ponder the information you’ve gained on a regular basis. Have a scheduled time at least once a month to review all the information. This can be a done on your own, but if you have employees or coworkers it may be more productive if you have them with you.

Appreciate all feedback whether it is good or bad.
All information you gain about your business is valuable—whether or not it makes you feel good. If you follow the steps I laid out, you will soon realize that negative feedback is actually much more valuable than praise. Praise is good for marketing, but moaning and groaning improves your business.

As an RKC Instructor you will be used to receiving good Feedback from your Clients, but do not fall into the trap of assuming the few who tell you are otherwise are weirdoes or moaners – they are probably those clients who trust you most and want you to succeed.

Step 4: Act
Whenever your sources have brought something which can be improved to your attention, determine if you have the means to improve it. In many cases, it will not take a big budget or much planning to implement smaller improvements. Go for the quick wins first instead of the big projects. The bigger the change, the more risk is involved.

Florian Kiendl Board Breaking

Step 5: If you do not act, explain why.
To gain the information you need to steer your business, you rely on the people around you. It’s in your best interest that they continue sharing their opinions with you, and they will continue to if they feel their voices are heard. There is nothing more frustrating than sharing information to help the business improve only to see no improvement or reaction . Make sure you spare the people around you this frustration.

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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 comment on the article feel free to email him at florian@kettlebellgermany.de

The 3-6-9-12 Program

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3-6-9-12 for Athletic Training

It is when you feel like you can break.

You have put everything on the line.

Heroes have been made, dreams have been dashed.

It is the fourth quarter. I remember playing basketball that time, the time when everything came down to how you prepared. How well could you execute even though you were shaky, exhausted, and had been competing your hardest for three previous quarters.

The fourth quarter is when you knew if you were really ready. All the theories get tested, only results win! You had to be strong, you had to be fit, you had to be mentally tough.

The idea of the fourth quarter helps remind me what our training should really be teaching us. Being able to hit a PR is awesome, lifting big weights, terrific, but if they can’t be used when we need them the most what is the point?

Sports aren’t the only places where we see the fourth quarter mentality. Overworked parents, stressed out jobs, they all challenge us to find inner and outer strength to perform. Can we do it though? Is it possible to have great fitness and strength?

Can We Have It All?

Having extremely high levels of strength or endurance takes some very specific training. The truth is that most of us are looking for really good levels in both. The reality is we can have it all with smarter programs.

Lifting maximal weights is awesome, but life and sport rarely happens on a platform. The truth is, most activities look at how you can repeat high levels of strength and power. In fact, renowned strength coach, Robert Dos Remedios, considers power endurance and work capacity the KEYS to athletic success:

“I’m often asked about my goals in my conditioning programming and my answer always seems to come back to one thing, WORK CAPACITY. If we can continue to turn the knob up and get more and more out of our athletes we will build their ability to keep pushing, to improve their all-important strength and power endurance. In essence we are assuring that over time, we will also be able to train harder and harder for longer periods of time with greater intensity. Perhaps most importantly, work capacity building sessions helps to forge amazing confidence…this is often the psychological variable that can be the difference between victory and defeat.”

Don’t misunderstand Coach Dos, they lift hard, they lift heavy, but they understand how to combine all the elements to being successful beyond the weight room! Can you do it over and over again? Do you have that fourth quarter strength or do you fall apart? Sorry, a few sled runs and pushes don’t do it either.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting the strength endurance crowd has it all right either. Many people think that to develop strength endurance that you simply have to perform outrageous repetitions or destructive workouts. Unfortunately, so many of these people fall prey to really low levels of strength and the engine to their endurance ends up being quite low. Not to mention the amount of overuse injuries they often incur!

The Smarter Fitness Program

When DVRT Master and RKC, Troy Anderson, shared with a much better way of training I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it myself! Troy is no novice to tough training, having played football, served in the military, competed in strongman, and growing up on a farm in Wyoming, Troy knows fourth quarter strength all too well.

The concept is relatively simple. Four sets, increasing repetitions, minimal rest. Well, that’s nothing new right? The structure of this program has important principles that need to be adhered to in order to succeed.

Each series has four intermittent sets of 3, 6, 9, and 12 repetitions. The lower repetitions are designated for heavier or more complex movements, where nine and twelve allow us to work on other fitness qualities. The key is to only give yourself no more than about 20 seconds from one series to the next. Let me give you a few examples using hardstyle and Ultimate Sandbag movements.

Workout 1:

Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift x 3, rest 20 seconds
Ultimate Sandbag Clean and Press x 6, rest 20 seconds
Goblet Squats x 9, rest 20 seconds
Body Rows x 12, rest 1-2 minutes

The above workout showed how we got to load a specific movement pattern (the hip hinge) with heavier loads and as we went through the series went to less complex exercises involving other movement patterns. We began with the hip hinge, moved to an vertical press, then squatting pattern, finally a horizontal pull.

The series began with the drill with the most stability when the body was freshest. That means we are still getting elements of maximal strength and not neglecting strength endurance. After the cycle rest 1-2 minutes and then try to repeat. The goal is to hit 3-4 total rounds.

How would other workouts look? Here are few examples….

Workout 2:

Pull-ups x 3, rest 20 seconds
Ultimate Sandbag Rotational Lunges x 6 per side, rest 20 seconds
Spider man Push-ups x 9, rest 20 seconds
Kettlebell Swings x 12, rest 1-2 minutes

Workout 3:

Get-ups x 3, rest 20 seconds
Ultimate Sandbag Lateral Step Cleans x 6, rest 20 seconds
Renegade Rows x 9 per side, rest 20 seconds
Bear Hug Paused Squats x 12, rest 1-2 minutes

During these workouts you should definitely try to use a challenging load. However, you are going to need to make sure you can repeat your efforts and not have too much of a drop off. For example, if you see more than a 20% drop off in weight you can use, the weight was probably too much. The same can be said if you see a 20% drop off in reps you can complete.

Can You Modify 3-6-9-12?

Of course! You can make it more specific to a training goal. For example, if you really wanted more of an emphasis of strength or power, you could make it 1-3-5-7.

Want to build that type of work capacity and power endurance that leads to championships? Take this challenge from Coach Anderson. Take your 3-6-9-12 plan and after each round (completing the entire 3-6-9-12 series) add a repetition to the next.

Example:
Round 1: 3-6-9-12
Round 2: 4-7-10-13
Round 3: 5-8-11-14

You would still take the rest after each series, but you may have to drop a bit of weight.

Will it be a challenge? Absolutely! Is it designed to destroy you? Not really. If you find it incredibly difficult you might find you had been neglecting the fitness qualities that can really help you make that next jump in your fitness.

Fatigue has been shown to be somewhat movement and muscle group specific. By changing the movement pattern we are taking some stress off the system and muscles. In other words, you should be able to continue high levels of work even in spite of some accumulating fatigue.

I know there will be some that argue that strength should be done without any fatigue, to them I say that isn’t the real world. If functional training is meant to prepare us for the sport and every day life then neither is perfect or ideal. You don’t have to sacrifice great training to grow, rather evolve the way you see fitness!

***

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.

Gripping Your Strength

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RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch 2014

The first two body parts to make any form of physical contact (unless you’re in FIFA) are your feet and hands. First feet, then hands. To strengthen your feet, train barefoot. To strengthen your hands, train barehanded and lift heavy stuff with vengeance.

Why should you care about your grip strength? “The tenser your muscles are, the more strength you display and build.” –A quote from the Naked Warrior. In order to withstand your 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th rep with a thicker grip swing, one must remain completely tense to not throw the bell at a loved one or through your neighbor’s window.  “What is truly remarkable is that tightening your fist can enhance your leg strength, as well!” – Naked Warrior. The difference between gripping a 1.5-inch handle and a 4-inch handle speaks for itself. There is 2.5 more inches one must attempt to tighten their hand around. The extra 2.5 inches is harder to grip no matter who you are!

In this program, you will be using the kettlebell swing with a modified grip to strengthen your hands, elbow and shoulder joints.

  • 1st step – Get a 65% max swing weight kettlebell
  • 2nd step – Get a hand towel
  • 3rd step – Learn to perform a swing safely by hiring your local RKC instructor!

The program:

1. Wrap hand towel 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or fully around the handle of the kettlebell

2. Perform 10 swings every minute on the minute (EMOTM) for 10 sets or 10 minutes

If you find your forearms screaming for mercy, adjust the thickness of grip. Example; Set 3, adjust handle from 3/4 grip to 1/2 grip. Set 4 from 1/2 grip to 1/4 grip. Set 5 from 1/4 grip to kettlebell handle only. Use a ladder format for increasing grip thickness until you can complete 10 sets of 10 reps EMOTM with towel fully wrapped around the handle. Once you can complete this, move up 10% in kettlebell swing weight.

Use this program as a swing supplement to your current program. This can and should be done 1-2 days per week. 3 if you plan on trying out for the over the top sequel… Embrace the power of your grip strength!


Nick Lynch also loves to paint his Dragon Door RKC kettlebells to indicate different sizes.
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RKC Team Leader, Nick Lynch is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering University (MSOE). He owns Superb Health Milwaukee, a kettlebell studio in Milwaukee, WI. Most recently, he became an RKC Team Leader. He has 13 years of full-time training and coaching experience and a lifetime of wellness education. Nick lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Natalie and son Weston.

10 Reasons to Hire an RKC to Learn to Use Kettlebells

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RKC Team Leader Lori Crock Coaching at Movestrong Kettlebells
Photo: Leenabee Photography

An online fitness magazine caught my attention recently when the headline read, “The Problem with Kettlebells is …”

The article explained that the problem is there are not enough certified kettlebell coaches to match the interest in kettlebells at the average gym. The result is poor technique and injuries resulting from no understanding of how to do the movements and lifts.

But there are plenty of Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC) coaches out there who can not only keep people safe, but help them reach the next level of fitness.

Here are my 10 reasons why you should hire a certified kettlebell coach:

1. Train Safely – at all of the RKC certification events, safety is the number 1 priority. You will use kettlebells safely or you will not be using them at all. A certified coach is a representative of the RKC community and we are responsible for keeping our clients safe and safely progressing in their kettlebell skills and mobility work.

2. Get Strong – our certification prepares us to design programs to get our students stronger using smart, proven hardstyle technique that yields results. An RKC has learned and practiced numerous regressions and progressions to address movement challenges and adapt the skills to different fitness levels. For example, if a student is struggling with the swing, we have multiple methods to address issues such as a lack of hip mobilization, squatting or hip pop timing issues and so on.

RKC Team Leader Lori Crock Coaching Swings
Photo: Leenabee Photography

3. Move with Power and Precision – people sometimes ask me, “How long before I get really comfortable with the technique?” That will depend on many factors, but RKCs teach you to move with power and precision on Day 1. There is no short-cut for perfect technique and we keep working with our students, their anatomical structure, their former injuries, their goals and so much more to help them to achieve strength and movement efficiency.

4. Regain Foundational Movement – being able to move well is something we never stop learning, teaching and practicing with our own training and with our students. Movement always comes before strength. A certified coach will challenge their students to address whatever issues present with the FMS or other movement assessment tool. Some foundational movement improvements realized with RKC coaching include: squatting, lunging, reaching, hinging, lifting, carrying and single-leg balancing.

5. Acquire a New Skill – when people inquire about kettlebell training I compare this to learning a skill like golf or skiing. It takes time and practice to get really good at this. But even in the first month, under the direction of a certified coach, students can become skillful at the key lifts. They can take this skill with them into the rest of their lives … into any gym, home, on vacation or at the office. The kettlebell is a handheld gym, so this is a skill that they can use often in varied environments.

6. Understand Your Body to Prevent Injury – there is absolutely no way to train with kettlebells and not learn something new about your body in terms of posture, breathing and muscular-skeletal activation. A physical therapist friend said that he had no idea about the power of the latissimus dorsi until he started using kettlebells. Understanding how and when to engage and use the lats and other key muscles, such as the glutes and hamstrings, is something that many life-long exercisers have not paid much attention to. This understanding of how and when to engage muscles and use the biomechanical match breathing can take one’s physical training to a new level.

RKC Team Leader Lori Crock Coaching a client with double kettlebells
Photo: Leenabee Photography

7. Train with Goals in Mind – there is nothing random in our training methodology. This is training to get strong and to move better using a variety of ballistic movements and grinds, upper and lower body, push, pull, lift and carry and ongoing mobility work to reach goals. I highly recommend the book, Master the Kettlebell for more information about RKC methods and programming.

8. Integrate with other Fitness Practices – programming at my gym is 80-90% kettlebell-focused. This will vary among certified kettlebell trainers of course, but programming kettlebell training along with barbells, TRX, Crossfit, yoga and the martial arts works and yields great results in terms of building strength and resilience.

9. Address Weaknesses and Asymmetries – an RKC certified coach will teach you single-arm and two-arm movements and lifts. With the single-arm kettlebell training especially, weaknesses or asymmetries may become apparent. An RKC is trained to address/improve/eliminate imbalances to prevent injury and increase performance–and refer someone to a medical professional when someone has pain or seriously dysfunctional movement.

Lori Crock Coaching Kettlebell Cleans
Photo: Leenabee Photography

10. Learn from Someone Who is a Coach First – the RKC program focuses on making us good kettlebell coaches. RKCs enjoy training with kettlebells, but we know the power in this is teaching the art of safe, efficient kettlebell skills to our students. We love to share our passion and we take pride in being RKC. We work hard to uphold the high standards set before us. Our certifications are physically and mentally demanding and we ask instructor candidates to take their preparation very seriously months in advance. RKCs recertify every two years and we have a community of coaches that support each other.

Looking for an RKC instructor in your area? Search our world-wide listing. Ready to sign up for an HKC or RKC certification event? Register for your life-changing experience now.

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By Lori Crock, RKC Team Leader, FMS II and MovNat MCT II. Lori owns MoveStrong Kettlebells in Dublin, Ohio where she teaches small group kettlebell classes to all ages and fitness levels and continues to be amazed, inspired and educated by her students. Her email address is lori@movestrongkbs.com

Improve Your Windmill

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Beth Andrews Kettlebell Windmill

The windmill is an excellent exercise to increase mobility, flexibility and core strength. As an added benefit, it also increases shoulder strength and stability. It’s a unique exercise because it engages multiple muscle groups and takes the body through a combined range of motion. Windmills are a great way to get heavy weight over your head in a challenging movement pattern, building the core as strong as the mighty oak tree.

Here are a few tips to improve your windmill:

Beth Andrews loves to paint her RKC kettlebells, to indicate the different sizes. To each his own with color choices we say, but there are a bunch of good reasons that Beth trains exclusively with the RKC brand🙂 –JDC

This next video shows two disadvantages. 1-reaching out, 2-reaching down. The third shows the advantage of focusing on hinging deep into the hips and squeezing shoulders blades together. This creates proper alignment which allows you to stack your body under the weight to gain all the benefits of the kettlebell windmill.

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Beth is a RKC Senior Instructor, PCC Team Leader, Primal Move Certified, and CK-FMS, She leads and certifies HKC and RKC certifications, assists at the PPC. She became the 5th Iron Maiden in 2013. Beth is the owner of Maximum Body Training and has over 20 years of training experience. She also has a successful on-line training business. For on-line training or to host a certification, Beth Andrews can be reached by email at: bethandrewsrkc@gmail.com. For training tips and workouts subscribe to her channel on YouTube and visit her website at maximumbodytraining.com

Pass Your RKC: A Complete 6-Month RKC Level One Preparatory Program

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RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch Training With Kettlebells

As athletes preparing for a grueling physical feat, we must ask ourselves, “How do I train properly?” There are many outstanding training programs already out there, so my hope for this program is to further help you and your students prepare for a successful RKC certification. I’ve personally had great success with this program, as have my clients. Please, feel free to ask questions about this program, as each individual’s needs differ. I’ll do my best to answer or point you in the direction of a fellow RKC Leader who can help.

A common concern in passing the RKC is the Snatch Test. 100 strict reps in 5 minutes or less proposes many issues beyond tearing hands. What many first time RKC hopefuls don’t account for is that the Snatch Test will occur after already having completed hundreds of swings, countless overhead presses and a plethora of skill refining corrective exercises. You’re already physically fatigued by the time the Snatch Test begins! Another major issue to consider: food and sleep! Your nervous system is taxed and therefore sleep is light (for most of us) and there is little time to eat throughout the day, especially to meet the needs of your great caloric output.

To ensure you’re getting adequate nutrition while training for the RKC keep it basic! Avoid large amounts of alcohol, sugar and refined oils. Stick with nutrient dense foods like sprouted grain cereal and bread, free-range eggs and organic meats, fruits and veggies. Looking for something to drink? Try water.

Hand care is of utmost importance, as is the correct kettlebell. Dragon Door’s kettlebells may cost more than the kettlebell you’ll find at your local used sports store but they’ll help prevent tears as they’re single mold cast iron. Huh? Single mold cast iron bells do not have a bump or ridge on the bottom of the handle. That ridge is best to avoid. It will cause extra friction during kettlebell ballistics. Here is a simple hand care protocol:

  1. Buy a 2-sided callus shaver. Sold at any drug store.
  2. Fill a bucket or pot with hot water.
  3. Soak hands and then shave skin.
  4. Apply Shea butter or Bag Balm (Yup, the stuff for cow udders. Hey! I’m from Vermont and now live in Wisconsin’s Dairyland! What can I say…)

2-3 times per week soak hands in water hot enough to make you think twice for about 5-10 minutes. Thoroughly dry hands with hand towel and wait about 30 seconds for moisture to completely evaporate. Now, take the callus shaver’s rough side and shave calluses for about 20-30 seconds on both hands. Flip callus shaver over to the gritty sand paper side and shave 20-30 seconds on both hands. The dead skin will start to crumble off, leaving your rough hands smooth. DO NOT over shave or your hands will burn.

Now we know how to eat and care for our hands, so how do we train? Good question. Below you’ll find a foolproof training program that’ll leave you with two thick pieces of paper and a shiny, new red shirt that says “RKC Instructor”.

*The following program is based on testing with a 24kg kettlebell. Please adjust based on your test size bell.

Monday – Light Day working on Level 1 skills. Smooth out your form and master the techniques.

Warm up: 12-16kg Arm Bar per side w/20-second hold; Turkish Get Up (TGU) per side; Pull up bar hang x10-seconds w/shoulders packed; hold deep Goblet Squat x10-seconds; x10 Swings; Cobra Stretch and x3-4 deep breaths arching on the inhale, Kime stance on the exhale.

Nick showcasing the mobility enhancing RKC Arm Bar
Nick showcasing the mobility enhancing RKC Arm Bar

x10-minutes TGU with 16kg. Do as many TGUs as possible in 10 minutes with strict form.
*light weight is used to fix form. No record setting here…

x5 sets of x5 Cleans per side

x5 sets of x5 Presses per side

x5 sets of x5 Double Bell Front Squats

x5 sets of x10 Single Arm Swings per side

*all the above exercises are done with a 16KG Kettlebell. Switch in the air.
**allow 20-30 Seconds break in between the ballistics, x45 Sec – 1 minute in between the grinds.

Superset: x10-Second Hardstyle Plank with x5 Straight Leg Raises for a total of x5 sets. Ensure your lower back is hard pressed into the floor during the leg raise.

Tuesday – stretch, practice deep breathing to expand the diaphragm.

Wednesday – medium day

Warm up: same as above

x30 seconds – 1 minute Hardstyle Plank.

x10 2-handed Swings with anywhere from 24kg-32kg bell EMOTM (every minute on the minute) for 10 minutes.
*fast n’ loose between sets of Swings

x2 Single arm Clean, Squat and Press with 20-24kg EMOTM for 10 minutes
*alternate sides each minute

x1 TGU per side with 24-32kg (based on current level of strength) By using strict form you’ll know the appropriate weight to utilize.

x1-minute Hardstyle Plank.

RKC hopeful Natalie showcasing proper TGU form. Note locked out joints and knee-to-hip alignment.
RKC hopeful Natalie showcasing proper TGU form. Note locked out joints and knee-to-hip alignment.

Thursday – same as Tuesday

Friday – Press/Pull Up Ladders

Clean and Press x1-5 reps superset with Pull Ups x1-5 reps

*if you perform x1 clean and press then perform x1 pull up. If you perform x2 clean and presses, perform x2 pull ups and so on; if you cannot yet do pull ups, supplement the number of pulls ups with seconds for a flexed arm hang. Ensure you end each rep with elbows locked out overhead before releasing the bar.

*climb the ladder up to 5 reps a total of twice per side. Example: x1 left, x2 right, x3 left, x4 right, x5 left and then start again with x1 right, x2 left, x3 right and so on…

*bell size is subjective to the individual’s current level of strength. Choose a bell you can perform x2 full ladders utilizing strict form. Practice this high load for about 6-weeks before moving up to a higher bell. Never sacrifice form for pride. If you need to do fewer reps, sets or weight so be it!

*When to move up? Once you can successfully complete x2 full ladders per side for a few consecutive weeks.

x5 set of x5 Heavy Bell Single Arm Swings per side with 32kg, for a total of 50 Single Arm Swings

Saturday and Sunday – Stretch, practice deep breathing, visualize passing the RKC, read Master The Kettlebell by Max Shank and watch Lord of The Rings (the extended versions!)

For the first 2-3 months, pick one Sunday per month grab a 24kg, set the timer for 5-minutes and:
Clean and Get-it-Overhead (without setting the bell down).

Options include: Clean and Press, Clean and Push Press or Clean and Jerk. Your resting positions are overhead or in the rack. This will help build your mental and physical threshold. Use a single kettlebell or if you’re mobility is like that of Bryan (below) use double bells!

Bryan showcasing mobile joints with double 24kg kettlebells locked out overhead.
Bryan showcasing mobile joints with double 24kg kettlebells locked out overhead.

Before you begin incorporating Snatches, I recommend following the plan above for your first 2-3 months of RKC preparation. The purpose of this is to develop mobility, stability and comfort with the RKC standards. There is no use in weight training with improper form. I call this “injury training”. You want to “strength train”. Once the 2-3 month mark hits, practice this Snatch progression in place of the 5-minute Clean and Get-it-Overhead:

Weeks 1-6: 16kg or 20kg

Weeks 6+: 24kg

Week 1: Snatch for 1-minute

Week 2: Snatch for 1½-minutes

Week 3: Snatch for 2-minutes

Week 4: Snatch for 2½-minutes

Week 5: Snatch for 3-minutes

Week 6: Snatch for 5-minutes

Start over with a heavier bell if you achieve 100 strict Snatches in 5-minutes. Focus on form and the biomechanical breathing match.

There you have it! A simple, effective and nourishing kettlebell program. How cool would it be to see 90% + pass at the RKC Workshop in Milwaukee May of 2015?

A word to the wise: If you are not sure of the RKC standards, hire a local RKC to help you prepare. If there are no local RKCs, reach out to me or another member of the community and we’ll do our best to assist you via the Internet.

RKC hopeful Andrew nailing his 5-minute Snatch Test!
RKC hopeful Andrew nailing his 5-minute Snatch Test!

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

Smart Kettlebell Training for Competitive Endurance Athletes

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Erika Woolsey RKC from Fort Collins, Colorado running the Boston marathon
Erika Woolsey, RKC from Fort Collins, Colorado running the Boston Marathon

For endurance athletes, time well spent is time working toward a specific goal. Unfortunately this often means strength training takes a back seat or becomes obsolete. In the world of strength and conditioning we like to believe that getting stronger solves all our problems. How much strength does the endurance athlete really need?

For those looking to take on the challenge of completing a 50 or 100 mile run, a 100 mile mountain bike race, the Iron Man, or marathon the specific training alone consumes most people. No amount of time in the gym is going to replace the time spent on the road or trail. Taking time and energy away from their specific training to focus on building a bigger press or deadlift, is time wasted. These people don’t need to focus on raw strength. Instead the focus should be spent developing relative strength. Remember they only need to be strong enough to avoid injury.

If we already know that preparing for endurance events requires a lot of time on the road then we must assume there is very little time for other forms of training. This is where the kettlebell can become a quick and easy tool of choice.

Goblet Squat (with a pry):

The goblet squat is great exercise for many of these athletes. It allows the athlete to maintain or improve their squat pattern, build leg and core strength without excessive weight to overly fatigue the legs. By adding the prying element to this squat we allow the athlete to work on the hip mobility which so many runners and cyclist struggle with.

Turkish Get-Up:

The Turkish get-up is a must for any athlete especially those who require a great deal of core strength to get through the later stages of an endurance event. The get-up will also provide a great deal of thoracic mobility as well as increased stability in the trunk and hips.

Single-Leg Deadlift:

The single leg deadlift might be the single most important skill for injury prevention in these athletes. Improved glute and hamstring strength, balance and rotational stability is going to pay dividends when it comes to IT band issues.

Kettlebell Swing:

I prefer to train the swing primarily in the off-season due to the excessive fatigue of endurance training. The swing is an outstanding exercise to develop powerful hip drive and strong legs. It is also one of the best ways to build strength endurance in the core which is something every endurance athlete requires.

When we combine these exercises with basic push-ups and pull-ups we are creating a successful recipe for almost any endurance athlete. Remember the goal is not to be the best in the gym. The goal is to keep them healthy and injury free so they can put in the miles and time required to succeed outside the gym.

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About Aaron Pierson RKC Team Leader: Aaron has been apart of the RKC since 2010. He currently works full time as an EMT and owns Fundamental Strength in Fort Collins, Colorado. He can be reached at aaron@fundamentalstrengthllc.com or by visiting www.fundamentalstrengthllc.com

Why I Run and How I Keep My Motivation

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Master RKC Phil Ross Running
Technically, I’m on my one week vacation, but I had some thoughts coursing through my head as I was on a 4 mile jaunt this morning. For those of you who have been following my Dirty Dozen exercise blog posts, don’t worry, the installments for the final two movements, #11 The Kettlebell Snatch and #12 The Push-Up are forthcoming. They happen to be my two favorite exercises, so I’m really looking forward to getting the information out.

Why should I run? I do kettlebells, bodyweight and a significant amount of Martial Arts–do I really need to run? Can’t I simply move my bodyweight around, do a weight training circuit, swing some bells or maybe do a little yoga? Ever since the 1970’s I’ve observed a running regimen. I have many reasons not to, there are a vast amount of alternative cardio training methods that I could employ, but yet, I still run.

I run because I hate it.

That statement sounds silly on the onset, but there is a method to my madness. I hate to run, but I love the results and the euphoria when I am done. Years ago, when I was around 18 or so, my instructor and I were discussing running. Despite the fact that I was reasonably fast and had good form, I hated to run. He proceeded to explain to me that it was very important to do something that you hated to do, especially if you were a fighter. It was part of the sacrifice that forged the mettle of your soul. When you are fighting, a lot of things go through your head. You see, if you are in a tough bout and this guy has you in the corner and is pounding away on you, you start to think. You think about the miles that you ran, how much it hurt and how hard you pushed, all of the sacrifices you made and then you start firing back. You didn’t make all of those sacrifices and go through all of that pain to lose to this clown! NO WAY!

If people see me, they think that I have no issue keeping my weight down. WRONG. I can easily put on 10 pounds in one weekend. My grandfather on my mother’s side’s nickname was “The Whale”, my paternal grandfather had 7 strokes and 2 heart attacks and the third one finished him at the age of 72. My father passed away due to congestive heart failure at the ripe old age of 66. Walking around at 5’8” and being 285 lbs is not the best way to achieve a long, healthy life. I am of Italian-American Heritage and love to eat. Therefore, I’m in a constant battle. Running helps me win the life-long war. I want to do everything in my power to avoid the pitfall of succumbing to my natural genetic disposition. Look at it this way, if I want to eat something that is not super healthy, I think about how much I have to work to get rid of it, I then choose a healthier option. However, if I put in a good run and have some hard training sessions, I reward myself. I don’t really do “Cheat Days”, I prefer to partake in “Reward Meals”. It’s a good thing to reward yourself for the sacrifices that you make.

If you don’t make sacrifices, you don’t have discipline. If you have no discipline, you are soft. If you allow yourself to become soft, you will not have what it takes to deal with real adversity and emerge triumphant. Adding running to my training regimen is one of the easiest ways for me to keep my weight down.

Running clears my head. When I first start my run, the toughest part is to “get my feet to hit the floor”. Once I get out there, the rest is easy. Although runs can be difficult at times in the beginning, the first 1/2 mile of a run stinks. Everything hurts, I feel slow and tired. However, I push. Before you know it, I’m cranking away! I do a great deal of thinking when I’m running, but my clarity only comes after I’ve gotten into my zone. I come up with ideas, release frustration and get lost in my thoughts. I do not run with any music, I practice Zen Running. I count my breaths, give myself little goals like, “run to that telephone pole” or “make it to that corner.” By focusing on minor goals, the run does not seem as overwhelming. The task, like most, is better handled by conquering the smaller pieces. I am in-tune with my environment and I listen to sounds, pay attention to sights and am aware to what is happening in my body. Once I have this going for me, the rest of the run is awesome! I’m “In the Zone” and thoughts flow freely. Now I can begin to push my body. The blood fills my quads, my lungs burn and my breath becomes more labored as I pump my arms harder and pick up speed. Yeah, this is the fun part.

You never know when you’ll have to run. I’ve seen those shirts that say, “Running Promotes Cowardice.” Cute. What if you have to catch someone? You have to run then. I may have to run after someone or run to the aid of one of my family or friends. In the face of a catastrophic event you will need to exit the area in an expeditious manner. There are plenty of other occasions that will require you to get from Point A to Point B and quickly. So, you will need be able to run. As with any other skill, if you are not practiced at it, you will not be able to accomplish it. The mechanics of your stride will not be smooth nor will they be efficient.

Running is a basic human movement. As humans, we are supposed to be able to run. Human beings were designed as one of the world’s best long distance, warm weather runners as referenced in this article from Popular Mechanics. We are basically hairless, stand upright and have an endocrine system suited to producing sweat to keep our skin cool and dissipate heat. We can out run a horse or a deer. If you want to consider “Paleo”, we used to track our prey down relentlessly in prehistoric times. So if you have a body or training regimen that does not facilitate running, you are not doing what your body was designed to do.

Running is a very inexpensive activity, especially if you look at the ridiculous amount of money people spend on fitness gadgets, unused gym memberships and expensive machines that wind up collecting dust. Depending upon how much you run, you will need to buy a new pair of shoes once or twice a year. You can get a great pair of shoes for under $100.00. I run outside, so I don’t have to spend money on a treadmill. If I were meant to be a hamster, I’d live in a cage and have a penchant for seeds and grain. Running on a treadmill is not the same as road, beach or trail running. Get outside! Compare the costs of a good pair of running shoes to what a road bike costs–entry level competition grade road bikes are around $7,000.00! I know others who have bikes that cost more than my car. No offense directed toward my cyclist friends, but with three kids, two of which are in college, spending a years worth of tuition on a bicycle is not in the cards for me!

Running is time efficient. In about a half an hour, I can get a great run in. I don’t want you to think I’m picking on the cyclists again but how long does it take to get a meaningful bike ride in? To be fair to my cyclist buddies, let’s consider swimming. Unless you live in a warm weather zone or have an indoor pool, look at the time that it takes to get in the car, head to the pool, change, swim, shower and then drive either back home or head to work. It’s a great deal of time compared to throwing your shorts, t-shirt and running shoes on then heading out the door.

This blog is primarily dedicated to what I consider distance running. Generally, I don’t run less than three or more than five miles. Sprints and more often intervals, were a large part of my running training when I was competing. However, I don’t feel the need to do a lot of sprinting, because I do a great deal of other explosive training work and use my running as more of a restorative training session. Plus, I generally end my runs at a pretty good clip.

There are many more compelling reasons to run. The aforementioned are the main ones for me. I’m certain that you’ll come up with your own. Good luck with your roadwork. Running is one of the basic human movements, and should be worked into your training regimen.

Strength & Honor

Coach Phil

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About Master RKC Phil Ross: Master RKC, 8th Degree Black Belt, Specialist in Bodyweight Strength, PCC and CK-FMS Certified. His name is synonymous with Martial Arts and Fitness. He is known as the area’s Kettlebell King and has successfully competed on the National Level in…  Read more here.

The RKC–the Perfect Training System?

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RKC Big Six Kettlebell Exercises
Graphic: Senior RKC, Robert Rimoczi

 

INTRODUCTION

Everyone is looking for the perfect “thing”–the perfect diet, the perfect car, the perfect vacation, the perfect look, the perfect mate (sorry, not going to happen and this isn’t the venue for that conversation), or the perfect workout. Looking to find the “perfect” anything is a fool’s quest but the pursuit of perfection makes champions. This article will explore what I consider to be the almost perfect strength and conditioning program: the Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC) Kettlebell training system.

PREFIX

To determine if something is “perfect”, you have to either compare it against other similar items or at least have a list of criteria that you can judge it against. Fair enough. In this instance we are looking for the perfect strength and conditioning program and while I’m not going to point fingers or name names, I will define the characteristics that I think make the RKC superior. In my humble opinion for a strength and conditioning program to be anywhere “near perfect” it needs to have (at a minimum) the following components:

  1. It must address the six basic movement patterns:
    • Push
    • Pull
    • Squat
    • Hinge
    • Carry
    • Groundwork (ex. Turkish Get Up)
  2. It must have both Ballistics and Grinds as part of the training program:
    • a. Ballistics for strength endurance and impact generation
    • b. Grinds for deep strength and tenacity under pressure

Those are the basic criteria for analysis and they are pretty easily defined. The goal of the perfect system should be to enhance the athlete’s or client’s overall strength, mobility, work output and athleticism. Read on to find out why I think the RKC meets these criteria and much more.

SWING (Ballistic)

To say that the kettlebell swing is the foundation that all ballistic movements with the kettlebell are based on would be an understatement. The swing establishes a deep and powerful explosive groove that allows the athlete to generate power from the ground up. It reinforces transitional and positional strength skills as well as developing a fine tuned ability to go from absolute relaxation to absolute tension in a heartbeat (one that is beating very fast as well).

Training the kettlebell swing develops the hugely important hinge movement in a dynamic manner. Most athletes will train the hinge, or something that looks like it, while doing barbell deadlifts. But the kettlebell swing gives the athlete a platform to practice exploding out of the hinge, dynamically loading the hinge, and teaches how to transition quickly and efficiently from loading to unloading while seamlessly applying force when and where it is needed. This is a tremendously valuable skill for anyone involved in contact sports or who has to move fast and recover quickly–like Moms and Dads chasing kids around!

GOBLET SQUAT (Grind)

The squat has been the staple of most strength and conditioning programs since before the invention of the barbell–as well it should be. The squat develops tremendous strength in the legs, hamstrings and glutes. It also requires the athlete to establish and maintain bracing throughout the torso. Understanding how to squat well is one of the foundational movement patterns and one that is overlooked by many athletes; you know the ones – big guns and chicken legs. In the RKC System, the goblet squat is the primary squatting movement for a good reason: most people (even those who have been squatting for years) lack the strength, mobility, and awareness to squat safely and effectively.

The goblet squat establishes a solid structure for loading the posterior chain, reinforcing the anterior chain, and creating alignment in the joints that ensures safe loading and transitions. For some, the goblet squat takes on a more rehabilitative form since it trains the client or athlete to open their hips and use their knees safely and effectively while teaching how to avoid undue stress on the lower back. The only drawback of the goblet squat is that it cannot be loaded to the same extent as a barbell squat. The inclusion of the kettlebell squat with one or two kettlebells makes this point almost moot. Once again, you can’t go to extreme loads but the efficiency but efficacy of the squat with the kettlebell almost makes up for it.

TURKISH GET-UP (Grind)

The Turkish get-up (TGU) or just plain old “get-up” is new to this generation of athletes and has found many ardent followers. The TGU is relatively hard to categorize.  Some people consider it to be a pure strength technique while others categorize it as a mobility or pre-hab/rehab tool. Regardless, the TGU is an essential tool in the quest to make athletes move better and develop integrated strength. With modest loads, the TGU can be used as a strength endurance tool; the stresses placed on the athlete getting up and down are phenomenal for conditioning and rival the dreaded burpee for the language they generate. With heavier loads, the TGU can be used to develop transitional and positional strength like no other technique that I am aware of. Mastery of a number of planes of movement, the ability to maintain tension and establish intermediate loading and unloading positions, are all challenges that must be overcome if you are going to be successful at doing the TGU. From a pure movement perspective the TGU is golden and adequately fills in the “groundwork” section of the basic movement pattern requirements.

CLEAN (Ballistic)

The kettlebell clean is often overlooked and under-appreciated when it comes to developing strength. But I will tell you this from the outset–show me someone with a weak clean and I will show you someone who has an even weaker snatch and military press. The clean is the foundation for all of the overhead ballistics and grinds with the kettlebell and it also establishes an efficient and powerful groove that will be reflected in the kettlebell snatch. The clean, just like the swing, is a foundational move that relies on a powerful backswing to get the kettlebell moving. But unlike the swing, the clean requires that the kettlebell be directed upward as opposed to outward. A “swingy” clean is ugly and painful as well as being inefficient. Once the kettlebell has been “cleaned” it is considered to be in the “rack”–and that is where the magic happens. The “racked” kettlebell is now being supported by a complex symphony of tension from the anterior and posterior chains and is ready to be cleaned again or (military) pressed or jerked. The stability of the kettlebell in the clean (racked position) has to be absolute if it is going to be used to grind the kettlebell overhead via the military press or as a ballistic via the kettlebell jerk.

MILITARY PRESS (Grind)

The military press (MP) is the first overhead technique in the RKC System. The MP trains full body tension, bracing or “wedging” of the body under the load, efficient grooving (the path the kettlebell takes), the overhead lockout, and much more. More than just a mindless pressing movement with the kettlebell, the MP trains the client or athlete to drive from the ground up to press the kettlebell overhead, hold the lockout, and then to pull the kettlebell back into the racked position of the clean. The last five decades or so has seen the MP being supplanted in most strength and conditioning programs by a heavy emphasis on the bench press. While the bench press has many and varied benefits the MP is (in my opinion) superior to developing integration with the torso and power from the upper torso that translates over to many sporting and daily functions. The MP can be very frustrating for both sexes as well. Men who have a “big bench” find that they have puny MP’s. Women who have strong legs and good kettlebell swings are stymied by trying to get even a light load safely overhead. With a little practice and some determination, both groups will find their strength improve and will reap the benefits of being stronger overhead (especially when it comes time to snatch the kettlebell).

SNATCH (Ballistic)

The kettlebell snatch is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. It looks so easy and effortless when you watched it done by a well trained practitioner and it can also look like a tragedy in the making when done by someone without the proper coaching. As a ballistic technique it is comprised of many facets that appear to be one smooth and seamless movement (if done correctly). I have heard the snatch described as a “swing that ends up overhead” but I don’t think that is an accurate assessment of the movement. The swing is more like a clean that ends up overhead. I’ve always said that a “clean is a short snatch and a snatch is a long clean”. Why? Because the trajectory of the clean and the snatch are almost exactly the same; one ends up on your shoulder and the ends up overhead. But why is the snatch such an important part of the RKC? Because it trains the client or athlete to develop and master a number of skills and make them appear as one.

To master the snatch you have to be able to generate, manage, and absorb force; you need to be able to manage tension and relaxation; you need to be able to create and demonstrate positional and transitional strength; and so much more. Hopefully you can see why the snatch is held in such high regard and considered by some as the “King of the Ballistics”.

CONCLUSION

Six techniques – that’s it. With those six you have met all of the requirements of the six basic movement patterns with the exception of one: the carry. That’s pretty easy to fix with some farmers’ carries or walking with the kettlebell in the clean (racked position) or held overhead. Okay, okay – the pull is somewhat sketchy as well, although you are getting some great pulling work out of all the kettlebell ballistics. The addition of renegade rows or pull ups will fill that gap nicely as well.

Here’s the thing – there is no “perfect” system but the RKC comes darn close to hitting the basic requirements that any client or athlete needs to improve their movement, their athleticism, and their longevity. A nice balance of ballistics and grinds as well as a series of movements that hit every major muscle (and most of the minor ones as well) makes the RKC system “near perfect” as far as a strength and conditioning program goes – and that’s about all you can ask for in this lifetime.

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About Michael A. Krivka, Sr. – Senior RKC: Michael A. Krivka, Sr. is a Washington, DC native who has been involved in Kettlebell training for over a decade and is currently an RKC Team Leader and member of the RKC Board of Advisors and the RKC Leadership Team under Dragon Door (where he has been listed as one of the top reviewed RKC’s in the world for the last five years). He is also the author of a bestselling eBook entitled “Code Name: Indestructible” and is in the process of finishing up several other eBooks on Kettlebells, body weight, and the integration of other tools into an effective strength and conditioning program. Mike has traveled extensively throughout the United States teaching Russian Kettlebells to military (USMC, USN, USA and USAF) and law enforcement personnel (FBI, DEA, USSS and CIA)… read more here.