kettlebell swing

The Hardstyle Kettlebell Basics for Hiking

September 14, 2020 By Shawn Burnah Leave a Comment

In 2005, I was deployed to Afghanistan as an Infantryman in the Hindu Kush mountains and found some odd shaped weights stamped with “DragonDoor.com”. I did a search and found the book, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. After reading the advertisement for the program and how it would build strength and endurance for soldiers and fighters I was sold.

After following the manual and video religiously, I was done with the “globo gym” and long runs, as my abilities surpassed my peers’ on the mountainous patrols. I practiced kettlebells and select calisthenics for years and was always more than capable to meet the challenges of rucking and jiu-jitsu. In 2017 I retired and now spend the majority of my free time in the mountains hiking and snowshoeing.

The RKC Plank:

The plank strengthens the body so it can remain upright while hiking under load. Maintaining a strong posture with a pack allows you to enjoy the views—instead of falling into a “pack mule” mode, where your head drops, and you plod along with one foot in front of the other. An upright posture also allows you to keep your lungs open and your focus on footing and route selection.

The Kettlebell Swing:

The Hardstyle kettlebell swing builds lungs, legs, and back strength as well as a strong core—all which are especially important for hiking. Contrary to popular belief, hiking requires more hamstring than quadricep involvement. Having attended courses which focused on performing a lot of air squats while wearing body armor, many of my classmates were still not prepared for the challenges of the mountains in our training. Fortunately, I had also added a liberal dose of swings in my off time. I practiced Bud Jeffries’ protocol outlined in I Will Be Iron and thrived on the trail while others collapsed in exhaustion.

Like the RKC plank, the kettlebell swing—particularly the one-armed swing (OAS)—builds the strength to keep the torso upright while walking with a heavy pack. The OAS also builds the strength to maintain stability as your weight continuously shifts back and forth from foot to foot. The momentary lock out at the top of the swing is also extremely important. It’s training for the “lock step” hikers use when going uphill that allows the bones to support the load for a brief rest, extending a hiker’s endurance. When training for hiking, consider swinging an RKC Snatch Test sized kettlebell for your weight class for many reps with good form. I was training with several hundred swings! Try to reach your rep goal without setting the kettlebell down.

The Goblet Squat:

When we step up vertically while hiking, the quadriceps enter the scene. The quads act as shock absorbers, aid in speed control, and injury-proof your knees during all aspects of hiking, but especially when descending a mountain. The quadriceps are also prime movers for hopping around difficult terrain and help maintain stability when doing so. Practicing goblet squats is also similar to standing up with a heavy pack. Squats benefit hikers, but in a different way than most believe.

The author's son navigating obstacles on the trail — The author’s son navigating obstacles on the trail

The Get-Up:

The get-up mechanics are useful for hikers who are trying to rise from the ground with their pack on. When under a heavy pack like the military uses (60 – 100+ pounds), the ability to stand up smoothly prevents you from flailing like a beetle! By pressing and externally rotating the free arm downward and getting your leg underneath you, you allow yourself to rise evenly and under control. The get-up also increases strength and mobility of the spine and hips allowing you to step up, twist over, and move around obstacles.

The Hardstyle Push-up:

Triceps strength plays a role in scrambling uphill and lowering yourself down from a platform—instead of just dropping down and risking a lower body injury. Practicing Hardstyle push-ups also build the strength you will need to push up and over an obstacle.

The RKC Kettlebell Row:

Strong lats and rear delts assist in maintaining a good posture while wearing a pack. Rows build the strength required to climb up a sharp incline, or to pull a rope, tree, rock etc. The row also teaches you how to brace and pull to assist a fellow hiker up and over difficult obstacles like ledges.

While the exercises taught at the HKC (and through the online HardstyleFit program) may not cover every aspect of hiking, they are a solid foundation for you to start thriving in the mountains.

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Shawn Burnah, RKC. Contact him through his Dragon Door Instructor page: Shawn Burnah, and Follow him on Instagram @shawn.burnah

How To Fix 4 Common Kettlebell Swing Mistakes

September 4, 2020 By Ryan Jankowitz 1 Comment

The kettlebell swing is a phenomenal exercise. I think it should be part of every training program. It addresses explosive power, the posterior chain, anaerobic conditioning and even grip strength. The kettlebell swing has many awesome qualities!

It’s also the foundation for more advanced kettlebell movements like one-arm swings, cleans and snatches. Before progressing to those more advanced movements, make sure that your two-hand swing is dialed in and that you can maintain proper technique with heavy kettlebells and high reps.

Let’s dial in our kettlebell swing technique by avoiding these four common mistakes.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #1:
Poor Setup

There are several key concepts to remember for the kettlebell swing setup.

How far away are you from the kettlebell? If you’re too far from the bell, then you might shift too much weight forward and shrug your shoulders up to your ears while reaching for the bell.

Ideally, you want to sit back with your shoulders pulled down and the kettlebell tilted toward you.

Also, make sure that your hips are below your shoulders. If your hips are too high, then you may not be able to generate a lot of power with your first rep. And the swing is all about power.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #2:
Arms Disconnected from the Body with Wrong Hip Hinge Timing

This mistake can cause discomfort or even injury to your lower back, so let’s dial this one in!

Each time the kettlebell is swung between your legs, even from the initial hike, your arms should connect to your torso. Upper arms connect to your ribcage and forearms connect to your inner thighs.

This will allow the hips to propel the kettlebell forward creating much more power.

Once you’ve reached the top of the swing, you want to stay standing tall for as long as possible while the kettlebell comes back down. Essentially, you’re playing chicken with the kettlebell.

Pushing your hips back too soon—while the kettlebell is still out in front of you—can cause unnecessary stress on the lower back.

The hips push the arms forward, the arms push the hips back.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #3:
Using Your Arms and Shoulders to Raise the Kettlebell

The kettlebell swing is an explosive hip hinge, not a shoulder raise or shrug.

If the kettlebell is drooping at the top of the swing, or your shoulders and neck are feeling it, then you’re using your upper body way too much.

The arms are simply a tether holding onto the kettlebell. They shouldn’t do the heavy lifting. If you’re having issues with this, then check out the towel swing drill in the video below.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #4:
Not Fully Locking Out Your hips or Knees at the Top of the Swing

In order to fully express your power, you must have full extension from the hips and knees. This doesn’t mean hyper-extending your knees, rather straightening your knees by flexing your quads.

You also don’t want to leave your hips back. You MUST contract your glutes hard at the top of the swing for maximum power and to protect your lower back.

Watch this video to see each mistake and correction.

I hope these tips help you master your kettlebell swing. When you get the swing dialed in, it’s one of the best exercises you can do for your fitness.

Keep Swingin’!
Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II

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Ryan lives in Maryland with his wife and two dogs. They love to go hiking and spend time on the beach. When he’s not telling his dogs to stop chasing squirrels, Ryan enjoys spreading the RKC message and teaching others how to train with kettlebells. He’s got a 90-day coaching program that helps busy adults get into shape, look and feel better by working out with kettlebells and eating healthier so they can elevate their self-esteem. Visit his website rjkettlebell.com or schedule a free call with Ryan: https://go.oncehub.com/RyanJankowitz

4 Standards To Master The Kettlebell Swing

February 27, 2020 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

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

Master Your Hinge:

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

Use these coaching cues:

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

Master Your Hike Pass:

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

Use these coaching cues

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

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

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

Master Your Deadlift:

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

Use these coaching cues

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

Snap the hips and fully lock out at the top.

Master Your Dead Stop Swing:

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

Use these coaching cues

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

Explode through the hips and let the bell float up.

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

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William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader, RKC II trains clients at his gym, Restored Strength. Contact him through his website at RestoredStrength.com or follow him on Facebook: facebook.com/restoredstrength

How To Avoid Back Pain From Kettlebell Swings

July 26, 2017 By Wayne Pallas 4 Comments

Wayne Pallas HKC, Swinging A Kettlebell

I earned my HKC in April of 2016, and began working with clients shortly afterward. The most common complaint I have heard has been lower back pain after swinging. Since I have always been careful to teach proper technique (e.g. packed shoulder blades, loading the glutes, keeping the head up, etc.), I was puzzled and decided to figure out what was causing this problem.

One possible cause is over-lordosis, arching the back at the top of the swing. I think the best remedy is to teach and practice a vertical plank. Full body tension, especially in the core, helps keep the back properly aligned.

I also noticed is that swinging with a kettlebell is different than practicing the hip hinge without weight. Weight changes the way the upper body moves during the hip hinge. The heavier the weight, the greater the risk that it will alter a proper hip hinge, putting more stress on the lower back (see photo below), especially if you keep your arms perpendicular to your torso on the way down.

Lower Back Stress From Incorrect Swing — The heavier the weight, the greater the risk that it will alter a proper hip hinge, putting more stress on the lower back, especially if you keep your arms perpendicular to your torso on the way down.

If you think of the upper body as a lever, with the navel area as the fulcrum, the weight of a kettlebell during a swing or snatch will tend to pull the shoulders down and in turn, move the hips up, which engages the lower back (see photo below). The solution I came up with is to “sit” into the hinge more, which feels like you are moving closer to a squat than a hinge, but relieves lower back stress.

You can experiment with adjusting your hip hinge while moving or you can adjust your technique statically. Hold a fairly heavy kettlebell as you would for a squat and assume a hip hinge stance. Bend forward slightly visualizing your immobile upper body moving around a fulcrum (the red dot in the photos above). You should be able to feel your lower back reacting to the weight. From there, rotate your shoulders up (and hips down) until the back stress disappears (see example below). This approximates the proper stance while swinging with weight.

Lower Back Swing Experiment — Rotate your shoulders up (and hips down) until the back stress disappears.

After adjusting the hip hinge using weight, my clients and I have become more aware of our posture, and have been able to adjust it even while swinging, avoiding back pain.

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Wayne Pallas, HKC is a retired Colorado teacher (40 years, math/music), avid runner, personal trainer, and former martial artist. Over the past five years, he has sent out a monthly general fitness newsletter, Wayne’s Fitness Tips & Tricks, to several hundred readers. He is currently training for the Denver RKC in September.

The Triple Extension Swing

October 5, 2016 By Felix Sempf Leave a Comment

Felix Sempf Triple Extension Swing

For power sport athletes, jump and sprint performance are key factors for enhancing sports performance on the field. The ability to generate power has a significant effect on the athlete’s ability to perform in their respective sport (Komi, 2008). Besides mobility, and strength and conditioning work, an athletic training program should also include specific exercises for power. Since every athlete is different there is no “one-fits-all” exercise for power training. The main aspects to consider when planning a power training regimen are safety, practicability, and compliance of the athlete.

Power output in sprinting and jumping is higher if full extension is achieved at the ankle, knee and hip joint. For example, ankle plantarflexion accounts for more than 20% of vertical jump height and consequently is a key factor for maximizing power in jumping (Hubley & Wells 1983; Luthanen & Komi, 1983). Likewise, McKinley & Pedotti (1992) also showed a higher degree of plantarflexion in jump-trained individuals compared to novices. Based on these findings, a power exercise for athletes in most team sports should mimic the triple extension for best transfer effects.

The regular kettlebell swing is a relatively simple power exercise that focuses on achieving full hip and knee joint extension in a dynamic fashion. Therefore, it only targets two of the three major joints that contribute to power generation in jumping motions (Hubley & Wells 1983; Luthanen & Komi, 1983). Other studies have confirmed that jump height and power can be improved by implementing kettlebell swings in the training program (Lake & Lauder, 2012; Otto et al., 2012; Mannocchia et al., 2013; Jay et al. 2012). Despite these benefits, the regular swing does not include ankle plantarflexion and may therefore (if used excessively) negatively affect jumping mechanics by neglecting a powerful contributor. A simple solution for this is the so-called Triple Extension Swing, which also includes ankle plantarflexion.

If your regular kettlebell swing technique is solid and you are looking to improve your vertical jump, try performing the following swing variation: Move up on your toes after the extension of the hip and knee has been initiated and finish the movement with all three joints extended as pictured below. You will immediately see and feel a higher float of the kettlebell. Start with light weights, safety first.

Warning:
This advanced swing variation is not be appropriate for beginner or less experienced intermediate levels. Only attempt the triple extension swing after demonstrating proficiency with the standard RKC swing. Moving up to the toes with the triple extension swing carries the risks of losing control of the kettlebell, being pulled forward, not fully engaging the glutes, overall loss of stability, incomplete grounding, and not safely loading on the backswing.

Literature

Hubley & Wells (1983). A work-energy approach to determine individual joint contributions to vertical jump performance. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology. 50 (2), 247–254.

Jay et al. (2012). Effects of kettlebell training on postural coordination and jump performance: a randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 May; 27(5):1202-9.

Komi (2008). Strength and Power in Sport. Volume III of the encyclopedia of sports medicine.

Lake & Lauder (2012). Kettlebell swing training improves maximal and explosive strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Aug; 26(8):2228-33.

Luhtanen & Komi (1978). Segmental contribution to forces in vertical jump. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology. 38 (3), 181–188.

Manocchia et al. (2013). Transference of kettlebell training to strength, power, and endurance. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Feb; 27(2):477-84.

McKinley & Pedotti (1992). Motor strategies in landing from a jump: the role of skill in task execution. Experimental Brain Research. 90 (2), 427–440.

Otto et al. (2012). Effects of weightlifting vs. kettlebell training on vertical jump, strength, and body composition. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 May; 26(5):1199-202.

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Felix Sempf, PhD Candidate, M.A. Sportscience, RKC, 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: http://www.kettlebellperformance.de

Transform Your Kettlebell Swing with Two Simple Cues

September 14, 2016 By Matt Beecroft 4 Comments

Matt Beecroft kettlebell swing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

mattbeecroftswingsetup

What if you don’t have a training partner?

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

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

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

Don’t Rush the Kettlebell Swing

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

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

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

Try the Two Simple Cues…

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

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

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

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

Improve Your Posture with the RKC Kettlebell Swing

June 8, 2016 By Beth Andrews and Jay Armstrong 7 Comments

Senior RKC Beth Andrews Kettlebell Swings

Postural correction is a hot topic. Spending too much time in a seated position while driving or working on a computer will adversely affect our ability to stand up straight.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a time-efficient exercise that could counteract all the time you’ve spent in the seated position and help you develop good posture?

That exercise exists—it’s the kettlebell swing.

Swinging a kettlebell will help you develop strong muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments. It will also improve your endurance. But, one of the biggest benefits of the kettlebell swing is improvement in your posture. The kettlebell swing is a naturally corrective exercise which will help undo the maladaptive effects of too much sitting slumped over with a computer, tablet, or phone.

The following are some of the key postural issues that the RKC kettlebell swing can correct:

Problem #1: Your glutes are not working

Sitting down turns off your glutes. The RKC kettlebell swing includes a “hip drive” or “pop” that moves the tailbone under and drives the hips forward. The hips are a primary source of athletic power for many sports such as golf, tennis, baseball and boxing. This hip drive is fueled by a rapid and intense contraction of the glutes. Swinging a kettlebell can help you reactivate your glutes. Active glutes will also put the pelvis in a neutral position, increasing your athleticism and reducing your chances of developing chronic back pain.

Problem #2: Your back is rounded, and shoulders are hunched forward

When using a computer or driving a car, your arms are front of your body while you’re seated. This inevitably leads to the shoulders internally rotating and the chest collapsing. For most people, this also means they will look like a caveman when they finally stand up. The finish, or top position, of the RKC kettlebell swing features “packed” shoulders. This means that the shoulders are pulled back and down, the lats are activated, and the thoracic spine is in a neutral position.

The kettlebell swing also has the added advantage of teaching you to bend over and stand up into a correct postural position time after time, rep after rep. And each effort is performed under load. Using a weight means that the adaptive changes will take place faster. Even a short RKC kettlebell swing practice session will greatly improve your ability to go from a seated, computer desk position to an erect, well aligned standing position.

Problem #3 – Your core is weak and you cannot contract your abdominal muscles

Bad Computer Posture

Modern office furniture encourages us to relax everything while we type at the computer. This muscular relaxation includes the core and abs. But, when you stand up, your abs remain relaxed, your pelvis tips forward and all of your guts try to fall forward! Not very attractive. At the top position of the kettlebell swing, the spine is lengthened and aligned. In order to accomplish this alignment, the core must be stabilized with a balance of posterior and anterior tension. This simply means that the abs must be strongly contracted for a split second at the top of each swing. What could be a better way to relearn how to stabilize your core and contract your abs then to do this time after time with your RKC kettlebell swing.

One step we use while teaching the kettlebell swing is the RKC plank. Notice that opening your chest, contracting your abs, tightening your glutes and lengthening your spine into an ideal postural position are all part of the RKC plank exercise. The top position of a kettlebell swing should mimic the total body tension and spinal alignment of the RKC plank.

Beth Andrews RKC Plank

Focus on these points as you perform your RKC kettlebell swing. You will see fast and enormous postural improvements.

Stand tall my friend.

Beth Andrews and Jay Armstrong

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Beth Andrews is a Senior RKC, PCC Team Leader, and CK-FMS. She leads HKC and RKC certifications, and assists at the PCC. She became the 5th Iron Maiden in 2013. Beth owns Maximum Body Training and a successful online training business. She has over 25 years of training experience. For online training or to host a certification, email Beth at: bethandrewsrkc@gmail.com. For more training tips and workouts subscribe to her YouTube channel, Beth Andrews RKC or visit her website at maximumbodytraining.com

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.

Don’t Ignore These Two Common but Crucial Kettlebell Mistakes

February 3, 2016 By Keira Newton 9 Comments

Two Kettlebell Mistakes Keira Newton

As a Master RKC, I travel a lot. I love my job because I get to visit other gyms and teach people how to teach kettlebell technique according to the highest standards in the industry—RKC standards. In the past few years of teaching, I have noticed two commonly missed mistakes. These are simple fixes in my eyes, and easy to teach. So lets get started.

The Deadlift:

The deadlift is the basis of almost every kettlebell lift. It IS the foundation of what we do. However, I have seen people skip the deadlift altogether… (How will they learn the swing? How will that work?) Or they simply miss the most important part of the deadlift: the set up and how to work underneath the kettlebell.

In my experience, I’ve observed that people who are given a small kettlebell, are tall, tight in the hamstrings, or tight in the hips will round the low back to pick up the kettlebell. The cure for this? RAISE THE FLOOR. It’s such a simple fix, but it will help 99% of your students. I use it with almost all of my new students. The video below includes a short demo of this technique. Give it a try.

The Swing:

I think it is safe to assume we all know the kettlebell swing can be fantastic if performed correctly—and deadly if not. This is no joke. When training a client, or in your own training, you must know exactly what happens with this ballistic lift. The most common mistake I see from my clients and students (which is also the most missed among new trainers) is in the TIMING of the swing. While watching someone’s swing, if it looks like they are moving to the toes, swinging below the knees, or lifting the kettlebell with their arms, then their timing is off.

To fix the timing, tell your client to wait until the kettlebell has passed below the belly button, or their arms have touched their ribs after swinging the kettlebell forward before moving their hips back. It will seem almost as if the kettlebell will hit you where it hurts, and you get out of the way just in time. But, let’s make sure that happens okay? 🙂

Hope the video below helps you understand. Enjoy!

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Kiera Newton, Master RKC, Level 3 Z-Health, MCT, PCC. Keira first picked up a kettlebell in 2005 when her husband challenged her to stop laughing and start swinging. She stuck with the challenge when she realized that she could get an all-in-one workout in a fraction of the time she spent at the gym. Keira was convinced… Read more here.

Be More Human

January 6, 2016 By Josh Henkin Leave a Comment

Kettlebell One Arm Swing

I’m in a great position nowadays. I get to counsel many younger coaches and hopefully teach them the lessons I wish I’d known when I was first starting in fitness. Even so, I keep hearing the same question:

“Which book or program do I use… so I don’t make mistakes?”

I always have to explain that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Mistakes are only a problem if they’re repeated. That philosophy really resonates with me because I grew up in a family of teachers. My mother, father, grandmother, and my aunt were all teachers and professors.

This is why I don’t ever consider mistakes to be a bad thing. In fact, the mistakes I’ve made have helped me become the coach I am today! Through that evolution and experience, my thoughts on “strength training” have changed quite drastically.

I went through several stages of what I THOUGHT strength training was all about:

Lifting as heavy as possible
Getting as tired as possible
Doing the “magical” lifts

If you can name it, then I have probably tried it at one point or another. But, nothing ever felt quite right until now. Now, what I see as strength is actually inspired by the old ideas from physical culture. Originally, exercise was never solely a physical venture, but included the whole person.

Then I realized that the real purpose of strength training was to help people become better humans.

At every RKC and DVRT program, I ask the class, “Do you believe in functional training?” Almost everyone does, but they look puzzled when I ask them to define functional training. Usually I get answers like, “Functional training makes people better in their lives.”

Who could argue with such an answer, even if it is really vague. But, approaching a training methodology in this philosophical way gives us no clear vision. We often forget what makes us human. Yes, people will tell us that we squat, hinge, push, and pull, but a list of such general movements is almost as vague as the term “functional training”!

I ask our classes to think about THE most common movement they all perform. I get answers like squats and deadlifts—but how much of that do you really do during the course of a day? The answer I am REALLY looking for is “walking”! Did you just hit yourself in the forehead? Walking contains elements of many different movement patterns that most people would consider to be part of a training program. I bring up walking because most of our REAL human activities are not singular motions found in the gym, but a combination of simultaneous movement patterns.

I know, we think of walking as simple, while a swing or snatch is complex. Everyone can walk, but not everyone can do a Turkish get-up. Well, lets put it this way—not everyone walks well! To put things in perspective, my wife, a physical therapist, spent a whole semester learning gait analysis (watching and examining how people walk). And most experts agree that there are between six and eight phases to the act of walking. Not so simple, right?

Lifting more for the sake of lifting more doesn’t really do us any good unless it increases our movement efficiency. Renowned physical therapist, Gray Cook, had a really good statement about this type of training:

“In other words, we want adaptable strength that can work in changing environments. Adaptable strength is developed though complex movement patterns, not over-rehearsed, over-coached lifts in a never-changing environment. The athlete, warrior, outdoor enthusiast or physical adventurer embraces change and challenge, while the gym rat needs comfort and consistency for a happy workout.”

How does this idea apply to your strength training? We tend to live in a value system where the heavier weight is the better option, while we forget the benefits of moving to more complex movements.

https://youtu.be/Tqed0CCRhPY

A few weekends ago, I taught a sold out New York RKC. We were discussing the one-arm kettlebell swing, and I asked the class what real life movement it most resembled. People looked at each other, and a few shouted out answers before I simply said, “Walking”. You would have thought I had had a mic drop moment when I gave the answer in that context.

Why walking? Because it includes reciprocal arm swing. This basically means that your arm swings with the opposite leg. This movement pattern happens for many reasons, but we all do it. Walking also requires us to push down into the ground and project our bodies forward. Guess what else walking needs? (Hint: the answer is also one of the biggest reasons that we swing only to chest height and not over our heads.)

I’m not saying that the one-arm swing is EXACTLY like walking, but it involves the same foundational skills required in this very common human motion we perform every day. With this in mind, you might appreciate that the BEST exercise might not be the one that is only heavier, but the one which places a more complex demand on the body and requires us to become better moving humans!

***

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.

Master RKC Josh Henkin 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.

The Single Rep Dead Stop Swing, Clean, Snatch Workout

July 1, 2015 By Andrea Du Cane 13 Comments

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

2^nd 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.