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The Road to the Iron Maiden Challenge

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Katie Petersen Iron Maiden Challenge Kettlebell Press

I did it! I finally did it! This was all I could think for at least a month after completing the Iron Maiden Challenge. For anyone unfamiliar with this challenge, an Iron Maiden must complete a pistol, pull up, and strict press with the 24kg kettlebell (Beast Tamer: 48kg). I struggled with each of the lifts in different ways over the years; but did not understand my greatest obstacle until the day of reckoning, when I missed my first pull up. When all the training was done, I had one more beast to defeat and it was not in the shape of a kettlebell. It was the voice inside my head…the mean one…the one that self-sabotages, doubts, and makes me feel small. As defeat loomed, I had to find a way to cross over the dark swamp of uncertainty holding me back from everything I had worked toward. I had to rewrite my belief system; to accept my own moment of greatness; to open my heart to myself and let it shine brightly in the world. Here is my story.

In April 2013, I was doing a kettlebell workout with Rob Miller in a Chicago park. I performed a 24kg get-up for the second time ever, precariously balanced on uneven terrain as the sun’s blinding rays sealed my eyes shut. Ecstatic, I expected to revel in my unprecedented success and call it a day. Instead, Rob says “nice” and “you will have to do the Iron Maiden in October.” Excuse me? A pull up, one-arm press and pistol with a 24kg? I barely got a get-up with the 24kg, which took every ounce of effort I could muster. Was he serious? My final figure competition season had just closed and left me extremely depleted. I was not at all confident that I would regain the strength I’d lost, let alone surpass it. To give you an idea of where I started, I had just worked back up to 5 bodyweight pull ups; was very new to the pistol; had I not pressed anything heavier than the 16kg kettlebell.

My Iron Maiden trajectory began on a slippery slope of disbelief, intrigue, and dare I say, annoyance. Yep, annoyance was probably the biggest driver: annoyance that Rob thought it could be so easy for me;  annoyance that there were 4 or 5 women out there who had done it and here I was doubting myself; annoyance at how incredibly far-off this goal felt. And Rob just decided I would do it at an RKC Workshop in the next 6 months. Most of all though, I felt annoyance at my annoyance…who was I if I wasn’t willing to become greater than this moment? Those questions spun me down a path I did not expect. And so the journey began.

October 2013 simply was not a realistic goal date. But I did step forward with a new sense of discipline. That Summer/Fall I followed a Triphasic program focused around barbell squats and deadlifts to rebuild my strength base. About 4x/week, I worked on my kettlebell technique to prepare for the RKC.

By October, 2013  I attained the following:

  • Pull up: 12kg (26lb)
  • 1RM Pistol: 18kg (40lb)
  • 1RM Press: 18kg (40lb)

Although my baseline was a far cry from a 24kg, it was progress. It didn’t matter how long it would take. After five years of grueling off-season training, an unapologetic in-season diet, endless travel to national stages only to come within two places of professional IFBB status, I desperately needed a goal to fill! I had just gone fifteen months without entering so much as a 5k and had all of this pent up competitive-energy stirring. I was not going to quit until it was done.

I began learning from every blog post I could find about achieving the Iron Maiden or Beast Tamer and/or improving 1RM’s in these movements. Unsure of my next steps, I read Andrew Read’s Beast Tamer, which offered an excellent jumping off point with tips and routines. I discovered much of the material in the book roots from the RKC Level II curriculum. As intelligent and well-written as the book is, mastery of these movements meant experiencing the education for myself. My next move was crystal clear. I signed up for the RKC II in April 2014.   After going through the certification, my body awareness and neuromuscular connection around the pistol, press, and strict pull up grew exponentially. If you have any desire to be stronger these movements (especially if you want to be an Iron Maiden/Beast Tamer), learn from the countless months I spun my wheels with far less progress than I was capable of achieving.

From the beginning, the pull up was my toughest lift. Every week was jam-packed with heavy lifting and a consistent yoga practice—yet, I still managed to avoid my weakest link and didn’t even know it. Sounds naïve, I know, but I was doing them every week with negligible progress. As I look back, though, I can see how they were grossly deprioritized.

I overvalued how much deadlifts and ancillary back exercises would contribute to my pull up game. They inarguably help with strength; but the truth about getting better at pull ups is that you have to do more pull ups. After 8 months, doing low volume/heavy weight (2x/week) increased my 1RM to a 16kg; but I hadn’t added a single measly rep to my bodyweight max. My nervous system was missing literally hundreds of reps needed to genuinely fortify enough pull up strength for a 24kg.

I dug through the Dragon Door forum and found a plan that looked incredibly smart. I later found out, this program is actually in the RKC II manual!   It was time to ramp up the volume and get my baseline strength in order. This plan promised to bring a 5RM (bodyweight) to a 10RM in 1 month…sold! As you can see in the Pull-up Program below, you are supposed to attain a new max rep set every 6 days. It seems like such a tall order that I was shocked and impressed by how well the plan worked. About half-way through, a wrist injury sent me on a 2 week hiatus and I feared major regression.   Not a single rep was lost. I saw clear evidence on how much better a 10-15 min daily practice could preserve my strength than hitting it once or twice a week.

5 RM Pull-Up Program Chart
If needed, add 1 rest day/week. It will take 5 weeks to complete. For results, prioritize the pull up program. If you are not recovering well enough, scale back other training before increasing rest days. (Note: if you have a 9RM, begin there, i.e. Day 1: 9,10,11,12,13 and adjust accordingly).

Over a 6 week period, I glided from a 6RM to an 11RM. After a small recovery period, I attempted my first weighted pull up in 2 months. The 16kg max moved up to an easy 3 reps, as well as earning a new 1RM with the 20kg. Huge progress! I began reintroducing weighted pull-ups in a variety of routines; but gravitated most toward a 5-3-1 model. After years of dreading the pull up, I flipped the script on my “weakest lift” and it has remained one of my most proficient movements.

Katie Petersen Iron Maiden Pull Up

One of the greatest lessons I learned was to not get bullied by my own limiting beliefs. I didn’t feel strong doing the pull up so I unconsciously avoided them. I had become fixated on feeling strong in every workout. That sticking point with my ego had me devoting more time, attention, and planning toward the movements eliciting more progress. Physical weakness is just like any shadow inside–we might ignore it, justify it, or worse yet, accept it–but it will relentlessly beg for awareness in one way or another. Those weaknesses are here to teach us something, not to break us down. Ignoring the hard stuff just equates to a more strenuous lesson down the road, in far more areas than just training. Some of my best advice roots from this realization.

As it applies to training, if you are preparing for the Iron Maiden or any goal, pick your worst/least favorite movement and begin there. Do it every day. Nurture the movement. I no longer viewed the pull-up as part of my workout, the meat of my workout, or as a workout at all. For a measured amount of time, they became a daily practice that needed to feel as routine in my awareness as brushing my teeth. My body began to feel “off”, like I was missing something, on the days I rested. This created a higher degree of “habit” that was needed to groove the movement pattern deeply into the brain synapses, let alone muscle fibers.

Practicing everyday does not mean over-training, however; it also does not need to be a progressive-overload like this pull-up program. It does mean organizing and prioritizing around the goal. For example, if I was struggling with the pistol, I might follow something like this:

Training chart for pistols

In order to follow the pull up program, I had to face down another ego-check. I was accustomed to using weight in every pull-up session and didn’t want to be seen doing only bodyweight reps. That little brush of arrogance zapped pretty quickly as the daily work began. I couldn’t have managed weighted reps with the volume each week required. The beauty of de-loading is an allowance to drastically intensify volume and frequency without getting injured. Every rep is done to perfection or not counted. I can’t emphasize enough how beneficial it was to revisit the proverbial baseline, a.k.a. bodyweight reps vs. weighted reps. If you are stuck on a 1RM, re-programming in a similar system may just blow you away. Take yourself back to the oh-so-humbling 60% max and practice with it. Train with it regularly throughout the week rather than max out every set or every workout. Do something to improve the movement daily, including mobility drills and rest.

I practiced mobility not only on “off” days but also between every pull-up set (scapular pulls, wheel pose, foam rolling, crow pose, wall glides, pec stretches, etc.). In this way, everything I did spoke to my goal. Boldly set your intention: write it down, live it, know the outcome is already happening, and don’t let anything get in its way.

Now let’s talk about the other two lifts. Presses probably got the most attention in my Iron Maiden training. The press wasn’t as defeating as the pull up but it was a greater challenge than the pistol; so it made for the most fun in “seeing progress”.

I approached the press with a three part awareness of the movement:

  • The body has to sense the pattern of movement with total automation
  • The body has to sense the intensity of the goal load to lockout overhead (2nd half of press)
  • The body has to sense the intensity of the goal load to initiate out of rack (1st half of press)

Here’s how these three parts translated unto my training:

A. Patterning/Volume for Automation

Similar to my advice with the pull up, automation requires the pattern of movement to be a deeply rooted habit. With a max rep, not a nanosecond can be wasted for the body to “think” about what’s next. It just fires.   Ladders are a perfect way to pick up volume in a short period of time and jump start strength gains. Below is an example ladder. I followed something similar to this pressing routine 1x/week up until about 6 months out.

Patterning Volume For Automation
1:1 work to rest ratio (You go-I go, if you have a partner). If body is recovering well, add a few single rep sets after the indicated ladders.

B. Desensitizing Goal Load+ at Lockout

Drilling familiarity, stability, and strength with a 24kg+ in the overhead lockout. Below are some ways to make it fun. Adjust the weight according to your current state and goals. As a reference point for the tables listed, goal: 24kg, current max: 20-22kg, snatch test kettlebell: 14kg.

Getting up the Ladder

Each time I did the set of presses, it felt much lighter than expected after holding the heavier load for the duration of a get-up. You can skip rungs on the ladder if you are not making this the core of your workout.

Press Ladder Chart

Each time I did the set of presses, it felt much lighter than expected after holding the heavier load for the duration of a TGU. You can skip rungs on the ladder if you are not making this the core of your workout.

Overhead Walks Chart
Whenever possible, slow the negative/lowering of bell to rack at the finish of the OHW.

Dropset Chart

C1. Desensitizing Goal Load+ into RACK

This speaks to improving the proficiency and load with the clean. The clean bottles all the potential energy necessary to explode into a press. When I am maxing out, there is not a moment’s pause transitioning from clean to press. They blend into one fluid movement. Under this technique, if the clean is sloppy at a max load, the press isn’t going to happen. The practice is to clean heavier than necessary to convince the body of competence at the goal load.

Heavy Cleans Chart

Heavy push presses helps link the transition from rack to press, even with the use of momentum. I would often pair both the heavy cleans and heavy push presses into the same workout.

Push Press Chart

C2. Enhance firing out of RACK

Continuing the current from the clean into a press relies on whole body linkage. Squeeze your quads tighter then tight and push the floor away with your feet immediately upon pressing the bell. Do not let go of the legs. On a 1RM, my quads fatigue, not my shoulder. Below are two ways to practice speed out of the rack position, as well as leg/hip power production:

  • Hold kettlebell or barbell in the rack for 5 counts, then explosively press, singles @ 80%
  • Speed presses with 2 count pause in rack AMRAP @ 60%

I find an explosive clean and press technique can leave the bottom range of the press remarkably weak if slowed down. This is not to be overlooked and can be acknowledged by “revisiting baseline” and grabbing those lighter weights. Here are a few creative ways to pick up strength awareness through that first half of the press:

  • Bottoms up clean and press
  • 1 ½ reps: press halfway up, pause 2 counts, lower to rack; then press all the way up and lower to rack—this is one rep. Move SLOWLY through all portions of the rep.

I incorporate barbell presses to assist with A-C. While it is not an exact match to kettlebell pressing, the pattern is similar. In this way, you can train your body’s leg power, press initiation and lockout under a much heavier load than possible with double bells.

The final piece of the puzzle for both presses and pulls, is to consistently work on shoulder stability and mobility. This includes all the same stretches from the pull up section and adds the following:

  • Bottoms up cleans, racked carry, overhead walk, press, squat, pistol (single and double kettlebells)
  • Arm bar
  • Broken arm bar
  • Get-ups + shoulder circles
  • Windmill
  • Farmer’s walks
  • Racked carry

Once again, so many of the mobility drills, desensitizing techniques, and understanding of body linkage are attributed to the wisdom shared in an RKC-II Workshop.

The final lift, the pistol, was not as difficult to attain but absolutely needed work. I mostly needed to increase strength in the bottom range, as this is where I teetered most. The Beast Tamer book offered useful guidance in this area, too. A few of my favorite tricks:

  • Descend into pistol, hold for 10 seconds; replace the other foot to ground and stand from a close stance squat. Advance to stand up from 1 leg after the 10 sec hold.
  • 1 ½ reps: lower to bottom of pistol, rise halfway, lower back down, stand all the way up. This = 1 rep. Alternate sides at first, and work up to 3-5 consecutive reps each leg.
  • Bottom range reps: lower to bottom of pistol, rise several inches; lower again to repeat for reps.

I had achieved the 24kg pistol but was not rock solid. Back to baseline. Just like pull ups, I set a goal to achieve 10 unbroken bodyweight pistols before returning to weight. I purchased Paul Wade’s Convict Conditioning, which was equally entertaining as it was intelligent. Even though I felt skilled in this movement, I didn’t want to skip any steps only to reveal a weak point under heavier load. The book lays out a tier system of movements that must be completed to advance into the next tier. I followed his pistol progressions from beginning to end and the so-called regression work proved unexpectedly challenging!

Once I added weight back to the pistol, I followed a 5-3-1 or 3-2-1 sequence with at the finish of deadlift days. One other day/week, I continued to do a few high rep sets at bodyweight and the bottom range drills listed above.

For many people the difficulty of the movement begins with the mobility. Luckily, I have had a regular yoga practice for over 15 years and did not need to condition this area.   If you cannot easily squat below parallel with your feet touching together, focus on mobilizing. You don’t have to do yoga, but you will need to put calculated effort into improving hip and ankle mobility. It is also important to get comfortable with spinal flexion (practice plough pose + related variations in the side bar). On the other side of that flexion is creating and maintaining a strong, hollow ab position. The RKC II dissects how to conjure maximum cores strength and introduces many unique variations. I strongly recommend attending the Level II; but if you haven’t made it yet, Keira Newton delivers a helpful hollow plank series in this 5-Part Video Blog.

When accomplishing a long sought after goal, in this case about 2 ½ years, I almost forget where I started–the programming, the “un-programming”, the books, advice, practice, injuries, frustration, and oh yeah, life itself getting in the way. My journey was not a straight and narrow path, but I can say one thing for sure; if it was, I would have learned nothing. I ran into many walls and gained insight from each. As lengthy as this article has become, I believe the most valuable part of my achieving the Iron Maiden is the ability to share the inner intricacies of my experience.

So how did my story end? After all of this preparation, I unmistakably veered toward failure and had to conquer one last lesson…

I am staring down defeat, once again. What is it about this moment? It keeps showing up as if I have a choice. There it is…don’t I have a choice? I have just failed my first pull up attempt in the Iron Maiden Challenge and panic is rising in my chest. I gave it EVERYTHING I have and barely got my nose to the bar. I can’t begin to explain how shocked I felt in this moment. I had effectively turned the 24kg pull-up from my most challenging adversary into my most certain lift.   The press, on the other hand, had been tormenting me with a come-and-go as it pleases reliability along with a very fresh trap strain. Yet, somehow, I easily speared that kettlebell overhead several minutes earlier. I was literally in a state of confusion. How did I not do that?   I hear an echo of John Du Cane’s voice, “You have two more attempts. Take as much time as you need.” Half-dazed, I nod and crouch back to the ground, as if to clean my wounds.

Hovering above that bell, the faces, voices, and objects began to fade from the room. In one mosaic flash, 5 years of national figure competitions flooded my mind…predicted to win by national judges, websites, even myself…and year after year, defeat. I could hear my coach’s pep talk, telling me I gave it everything I could; it just wasn’t “my time”; it wasn’t “my turn to be on top”.   Maybe it’s like that today…it’s just not “my time”. It’s OK if I don’t have it today. I can do it at the next RKC… There I was again, feeding it, accepting the failure. Was it really that easy to let it all go?  Those once comforting words of the past were now freezing me in time. In all those years of competing, maybe it was me who wasn’t ready to win; maybe it was me who kept myself flying below the radar; and today, maybe it was me who kept my chin below that pull up bar. The moment staring me down wasn’t defeat. It was opportunity. This pull up will decide whether or not I become an Iron Maiden today. You only have one attempt….that’s all you have, that’s all you need. Pull it together NOW…an unwavering confidence rushed over me… It IS my time to shine. And as it turned out, I did have a choice that day.

The whole world is you vs. you. When I look back to where it all began, standing in the park, shaking my head ‘no’ to Rob’s seemingly absurd suggestion, I knew I was losing. That frustration powerfully transmuted into passion and determination. I have much gratitude for Rob stoking this fire and Dragon Door presenting this intensely rewarding challenge. Ultimately, I want to relay that anything is possible. Cliché? Maybe. I’ll say it again. ANYTHING you DESIRE and CHOOSE to stay COMMITTED to achieving, no matter what the obstacle, is possible. The seed was planted when I first heard about the Iron Maiden. Though, it took days to feel, weeks to want, months to believe, and years to harvest. For me, the road to the Iron Maiden is about so much more than building strength or staying devoted to a goal. Whether you are going after a max lift or simply looking for some motivation, remember that you are infinitely more powerful than your strongest moment and called to learn from your weakest.   I hope something written here might resonate with you and reflect your own inner strength.  Like any worthwhile journey, when you stand up to the struggle, you stand in your truth to embrace everything you can become. And somewhere in this space, you learn that you are becoming everything you always were…a star in your own story. I walked a long road of competitive endeavors in order to finally “see” that greatness is a part of me. It is a part of all of us. Now go out there and shine brightly in the world!

 

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

Try This Solo Version of a Classic Kettlebell Corrective Partner Drill

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Shari Wagner RKC Team Leader Swing Setup

I was working with a personal training client who was having trouble packing his shoulder in the one-arm kettlebell swing, particularly in the hike pass position. He had no problems with this in his two-hand swing, it only happened when he switched to the one-arm swing. So, I used the RKC towel pull drill with him and voila! It taught him the feeling of properly loading in the hike position and it improved his shoulder packing when he went back to swings.

This client trains with me once a week to learn proper kettlebell technique, and the rest of the time he trains on his own at home. How could he duplicate this drill on his own when he didn’t have a training partner or qualified instructor to train with him at home? We needed a solution so that he could practice the drill prior to each set of one-arm swings, at least until he was able to groove the pattern in his swings.

The deadlift drag is a wonderful exercise and I use it quite often. In this drill, you set up as if to swing, but instead, you drag the kettlebell on the floor very slowly, keeping yourself in the hike position and loaded up through the posterior chain the whole time. However, I sometimes find that the deadlift drag doesn’t have the same carry-over into the swing itself. Not every drill will work for every person to correct the pattern they need to correct. In this case I wanted my client to be able to really load up in the same way we do with the towel pull drill since it really worked to help his one-arm swing. I wanted him to have his arm connected to his body as if the kettlebell were behind him like it is in the hike position of the swing.

I came up with a similar drill using a resistance band. I used a band that was about 1/2” wide, that provides about 15-30 lbs of resistance. Keep in mind that you’re using a double thickness of the band when you set it up as I have in the video below. The loading in this drill happens from the front as you are pulling the band behind you, rather than loading from the back in the towel pull drill. But, the drill still worked really well for my client. He got his shoulder packed in the hike position and felt the loading and support that comes from the shoulder position in the in the swing.

We did one set like you’ll see in the video below and it had the same positive effect on his one-arm swing technique as when we did the towel pull drill together at the gym. The best part is that he can now do the resistance band drill when he trains by himself at home. I prescribed for him to do about five pulls of the band, followed by one 10-second static hold before every set of one-arm swings.

I did experiment with this same idea, and we turned around to try and load up from the back, in order to really try and emulate the towel pull. I personally didn’t like this as much as pulling from the front, because I felt like the resistance of the band wanted to pull me backwards and without a partner to brace against in the pull, I didn’t feel like I was in control of the movement as much. I also didn’t feel like I could engage the lats and the hips in the same way or to the same extent.

I invite you to try this drill both ways and let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Here’s a quick workout you can do using this resistance band drill, the deadlift drag, and the all-important single rep swing. Hopefully the combination will really help your one-arm swings.

  • 5 1-arm deadlift drags, left side
  • 5 single rep swings, left side
  • 5 band pulls, left side with :10 hold on last rep
  • 10 1-arm swings, left side
  • Repeat on the right

Repeat for 5-10 sets, resting as needed between sets

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RKC Team Leader Shari Wagner, RKC-II, PCC, CK-FMS owns Iron Clad Fitness in Denver, Colorado. She can be contacted through her website at IronCladFit.com, email: info@ironcladfit.com or by phone 720-900-4766. Follow her on Facebook: facebook.com/IronCladFitness and Twitter: twitter.com/IronCladFitness.

The Get-Up—The Ultimate Triplanar Exercise

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training get-ups for judo athletes

When we think of Bruce Lee throwing a kick, Muhammad Ali dodging a punch, or a great wrestler like Dan Gable swiftly shooting in for a double-leg takedown and dumping his opponent on the mat, we can easily imagine strength exerted on multiple planes.  This multi-dimensional strength and stability is achieved through specific strength conditioning. It is the key for optimizing body movement and power for a combat athlete’s knock-out punch. It also provides incomparable groundwork for other athletes, too.

The majority of today’s programs favor traditional strength and conditioning approaches which are often heavily biased towards sagittal plane (forward and backward) movements. We definitely need strength in the sagittal plane, and many of the big-bang-for-the-buck exercises like squats and deadlifts occur in this plane.

But in designing our training, it is important to understand that the human body does not move in just one direction. We can also move side-to-side, forward, backward, and in rotation. Training in multiple planes, or multiple directions, helps us achieve higher levels of body awareness, balance, and coordination. This improved programing allows for quicker reaction times and more efficient neuro-motor function. Training in all the planes can help athletes and clients avoid injury and enhance their performance. It’s a required practice for any athlete determined to consistently perform on an elite level.

 

The Three Planes:

Sagittal Plane:

Movements in the sagittal plan move forward and back, or through the mid-line of the body. Common examples of sagittal plane movements are a biceps curl or a sit-up.

Frontal Plane:

Movements along the frontal plan can be described as side-to-side, such as abduction and adduction. Exercises that work through the frontal plane are side lunges and jumping jacks.

Transverse Plane:

Movements in the transverse plane include horizontal abduction, adduction or rotational actions. Exercise examples include the Russian twist or a cable woodchop.

One major reason most sports injuries occur in the frontal and transverse planes is that most athletes are only training in the sagittal plane. Athleticism depends on a tremendous amount of movement in different planes of action. Strength and conditioning programs for athletes should strive to include as many variations of movement as possible to train muscles in as many planes as possible (Kenn, 2003).

As trainers and coaches, we must prepare our athletes by strengthening their bodies in all three planes. If your athletes understand the difference between these three planes of movement and can develop their ability to efficiently weave their movements together, then they will be well-rounded and less prone to injury.  For example a fighter in the ring or cage spins, moves left and right, dodges kicks, pivots, punches, and is constantly tackled.  If his or her body is weak in a particular plane, the likelihood of an injury is much greater.

Most popular training methods do not use multi-planar movements. Powerlifting, Olympic lifting, CrossFit training, and bodybuilding tend to primarily work in the sagittal plane. Very few movements are in the transverse or frontal planes. Additionally, most of these training methods do not include multi-planar movements—combinations of frontal, sagittal, and transverse planes of motion. These popular training methods are still valid for training athletes, but coaches should also consider ways to train sport-specific movements that athletes will perform on the field of play (Brown, 2013).

Ashoka McCormick at the whiteboard

As strength coaches and trainers, we can create workouts that hit all of these planes, or we can select compound exercises—triplaner movements—that hit all three planes in one rep. One of the best triplanar movements of all is already a staple among RKC and HKC Instructors: the get-up

In the kettlebell community and the strength and conditioning world, the get-up is highly regarded, and with very good reason. It’s a highly functional movement and total body exercise. Its benefits include improved shoulder stability and strength, correction of left-right asymmetries, overall mobility, core strength, improved movement skills, overall proprioception / coordination, and time under tension. The get-up also teaches athletes to stabilize themselves and create whole body tension in a variety of positions.

 

Truly Triplanar

The above-mentioned list of benefits is more than enough justification to include the get-up in our workouts. But, I think that one of the most valuable benefits provided by the get-up is that it passes through all three movement planes from the ground up, and again on the way back down to the ground. For that reason alone, the kettlebell get-up is one of my favorite options—it forces you to work in EVERY plane of motion.

Body Awareness

The get-up provides a variety of functional movement patterns and an unmatched stimulation to our vestibular and nervous systems. Once they have mastered all the steps of the get-up, you can even lead your clients and athletes through the movement with their eyes closed for a greater nervous system challenge. The body awareness developed from practicing get-ups provides tremendous value for athletes and the general population.

Ashoka McCormick spotting kettlebell get-up

Five Minute Get-Ups

At my HKC certification in April, RKC Team Leader Chris White mentioned doing “Five Minute Get-Ups.” Since then I have added this drill into many of my programs for Judo athletes. At first, they should be practiced without weight, then balance a shoe on the fist for added challenge.  I tend to use the “Five Minute Get-Up” protocol at the beginning of our workouts, it serves as a good warm-up, and a great opportunity for skill development.

During the drill, we focus on one quality rep at a time. I encourage the athletes to take their time. You can incorporate “Five Minute Get-Ups” at the beginning of your workout, on a recovery day, or even as a stand-alone skill practice session. Advanced athletes can try it with weight. But, with or without a kettlebell, the main focus is on the fluidity of the movement.

When designing a strength and conditioning program, we need to include multi-planar movements, multi-directional movements, and various stances which are appropriate for our athletes. Exercises like the get-up will help athletes move more efficiently and will decrease their chances of injury while increasing their overall functional strength.

Winning Athletes At the podium

References:
Brown, T. (2013, September). NSCA’s Performance Training Journal, Issue 12. Retrieved November 18, 2016
Kenn, J. (2003). The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook. Monterey, CA: Coaches Choice.

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Ashoka McCormick, HKC is a performance coach in Santa Cruz, California.

My “Body” of Work: Part 1

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Phil Ross One Arm Handstand

Having recently hit my 54th birthday, I can’t help but reflect on what I’ve put my body through and how lucky I was to find the RKC‘s incredible strength and mobility training. The system is truly remarkable. This is a long post, but I strongly feel that many people will benefit from this information. I also want to give hope and inspiration to those who are in pain, struggle with immobility and injuries from their “sins of the past”. More importantly, I want to help instructors, trainers, and their students (or clients) avoid injuries and set-backs. Enjoy!

For most of my life, I was a competitive combat athlete. I played contact football at age 9 and at age 13, had my first combat competition. There weren’t many junior wrestling leagues or martial arts schools around in 1975. I still spar (stand-up kickboxing) and roll (ground fighting in Jiu Jitsu), but not nearly as intensely or as often as I did from 1976 to 2011. However, I keep my skills sharp by doing a great deal of drilling and bag work. Scaling down from that level of training and giving up competition was–and still is–a difficult thing for me. But, my current situation allows me to focus my professional energies on other challenges: developing my students, growing my business, producing videos, writing books and furthering my education. I also get to spend a little more time with my family, coaching my little one and helping my older children reach their goals. This is something I cherish very much.

A couple of years ago, John Du Cane and I were talking. I told him how my kettlebell training and the other movement training I’ve learned since I started with the RKC has enabled me to move much more effectively and overcome the many injuries sustained during a lifetime of contact activities. The many years of football, wrestling and combat sports training and competition took their toll on my body, but I still workout virtually every day. I’m only able to do this is because of my kettlebell and bodyweight training regimen. John said that I should write a blog post and list all of the injuries. I agreed, and while some of the injuries haven’t had any effect on my ability to train, I’ll furnish the list of the most significant. I’ll also put forth the movements that have helped me the most.

Here’s my “Body of Work”

I won’t bore you with all the times that I’ve cracked a toe or broken a finger. I’ve had so many jams, sprains, minor dislocations, and stitches that I can’t remember them all. Many times, I’d simply pop my finger, toe–and once even my knee–back in place, throw on some tape and go back to training or back in the fight. At 17, I broke my thumb in two places while wrestling in the NJ State Freestyle Championships. But I taped it up, finished that match and wrestled in the finals. In my mind, that was “just another day at the office”.

So, we’ll start from the top…

Head:

I have had four diagnosed concussions, and several minor ones that I just shook off and either went back on the field, got back on the mat or went out for the next round. Since most of them occurred in the 70’s and 80’s, there was no real treatment, and not much time off. I took a week off when I had my worst concussion, but my eye was also swollen shut at the time and I had 17 stitches in my head and 5 more in my arm. I wasn’t going to be doing much for a few weeks anyway.

I also had my nose broken four times and had it repaired twice. This has had an adverse effect on breathing while training. At one point, one nostril was fully closed and the other operating at 50%. It was difficult not to be a “mouth breather” at that point. Getting enough oxygen into my lungs was tough for a while until my second nose operation. I still use saline spray (Xlear with xylitol) and a nasal inhaler (Oblas with menthol, and oils of peppermint, cajeput, eucalyptol) several times a day. Incidentally, this practice has also helped me avoid many colds and sinus infections. I haven’t had or needed antibiotics in years, which has further bolstered my immune system.

philrossarms

Neck:

I’ve had three memorable injuries to my neck and have experienced countless “burners” during competition or fight training. For those of you who don’t know what a “burner” or “stinger” is, it’s when your neck (or head) gets twisted, jammed or otherwise forced into a compromising position, usually very quickly and a “hot”, “shocking” or “burning” sensation runs from your neck down your arm. Generally, you experience a “flash of light” in your eyes, pain, and temporary lose the use of your arm. I’ve had this happen more than once in actual combat and had to just deal with it. I’ve experienced so many of these in training and competition that I can’t even try to remember how many times it has happened.

One of my major neck injuries occurred in a football game, and another during a wrestling match. But, the most notable injury required surgery on four levels of my neck. This injury occurred during fight training at the end of 2011, but the situation was acerbated from years of abuse. The MRI revealed two herniated and five bulging discs in my neck, spinal stenosis in many of my foramen, and an osteophyte on the inside of my spinal canal. This caused an edema (bruising/scarring) on my spinal cord, resulting in a permanent spinal cord injury. Four levels of my vertebra had their foramen removed, “windows” were put in the vertebra, and the osteophyte was removed. But, the damage had already been done.

I started my rehabilitation a little less than two weeks after the operation. For the first week, I could only do planks. I progressed to plank pull-ups (Aussie pull-ups) and incline push-ups for sets of five reps. Within five months, I was able to perform most of my movements again, and began to film The Kettlebell Workout Library. Prior to my operation, I was unable to press a 10kg kettlebell overhead. After only four months of training I was able to press a 20kg kettlebell bottoms-up. I attribute my speedy recovery to my strength and conditioning practice both prior to the operation and the RKC methodology employed afterward.

Shoulders:

I have a torn labrum (slap tear) in my right shoulder. Prior to 2006, it used to slide out on a regular basis. At that time, I had just gotten into kettlebell training–my first set of kettlebells was delivered in December 2005. I hadn’t quite developed the ability to engage my lats and pack my shoulders properly at this point. In June of 2006, I was set to shoot 3 DVDs: Fit 2 Fight, Combat Ready and Let’s Sweat. Five days before the shoot, my shoulder popped out–and stayed out. I drove myself to the hospital and they couldn’t get it to stay in. The next day, I got an ART (Active Release Technique) treatment from Dr. Michael Dworkin and my shoulder slid back into place. At first, I rehabbed it with swings while only focusing on packing my shoulders and engaging my lats. My shoulder hasn’t slid out in over 10 years!  Not only was I able to complete shooting the videos, but the new strength permitted me to get back to live grappling. I was also able to successfully compete through 2010 in submission fighting. Kettlebell training changed my life and extended my competitive career to span four decades. Very cool!

Elbows:

I’ve had an ongoing battle with my elbows. Back in the day, I used to spend endless hours pounding on the Makawara affixed to the concrete wall in my garage. As a fighter in my early twenties, I didn’t consider the long term repercussions of sending force into an object that could not give way. I just wanted to toughen my hands and hit hard. By hitting the wall-mounted striking surface, all the force that I put into the punches came back at me. All of the years spent fighting, sparring, grappling, and getting armbars finally caught up to me in 2005. I was doing heavy cable curls and the next day my forearms, particularly my brachial radiali were screaming in pain. I could barely turn a door knob, walk my dog, shovel snow off of my driveway or even start my car without an excruciating pain shooting through my arm. It was so bad that one day in 2005, I was training with Frank Shamrock and I couldn’t move my arm at all. He said, “Bro, I’d get that taken care of ASAP”. Good advice. He told me about ART and that’s how I found Dr. Mike Dworkin (the guy who fixed my shoulder).

Kettlebell training taxes your grip. Doing pull-ups and hanging abs wreaks havoc on your grip and elbows. Not to mention BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), grappling, kickboxing and weapons training. All of the activities I love were adding to and were the root cause of my elbow pain. I tried all of the standard and non-standard treatments. Here’s what didn’t work: cortisone injections, acupuncture, prescription and a myriad of useless bands, straps and sleeves. Don’t waste your time or money. Here’s what worked: ART and Graston Technique, dry needling, oblique activation and a sound stretching regimen. I leveraged my relationships with the many professionals that I met through the RKC and put together a stretching routine for my forearms/elbows.

These are the best exercises I have found to maintain elbow and forearm health:

This first exercise is a stretch. I place my palm, fingers down, against the wall and keep my arm straight while pressing against the wall for 30 to 60 seconds. Now, I also do this stretch against a suspended, supported horizontal bar for a greater range of motion.

Back of the wrist push-ups: start on your knees if necessary, turn your hands inward and make sure that your arms are completely straight. After you become more advanced, ball your fists and press your knuckles together as you press up to full extension.

Handstands, wall handstands, crow stands, and toad stools: these movements build strength in the shoulders, arms, and core. More importantly, they de-load the the forearms. Practice these strength movements with your hands completely open and gripping the floor will do wonders to counterbalance the effects of a great deal of clenched-fist work.

For the last exercise, stand tall, pack your shoulders, and keep your neck, shoulder and arm in the same vertical plane. Grasp a small kettlebell, nothing heavier than 16kg, with your thumb facing forward. Rotate your palm so it faces forward, then bring your opposite ear to your shoulder. Be sure to maintain the same plane. For example, if you have the kettlebell in your left hand, bring your right ear toward your right shoulder while keeping all your moving parts in the same plane.

Hands:

My hands are crucial to my work, activities and life. I’ve had many fractures, jams, sprains and dislocations. Strong hands are critical. There was a time when one of my hands was so weak that I couldn’t even military press a 10kg (22lb) kettlebell. This is coming from guy who had to strict press the Bulldog (44kg – 97lbs) to attain my RKC Level-II! Yes, I was a little down.

The main exercises that helped me regain my strength are: single kettlebell deadlifts, kettlebell wrist twists, pitcher curls, bottoms-up presses, bottoms-up carries, farmers walks, Neuro-Grip push-ups and kettlebell snatches.

Single kettlebell deadlifts: keep your shoulders and hips in prefect alignment, pack your shoulders, engage your lats, grasp the kettlebell handle firmly, and lift. It’s important not to “dip” your shoulder or twist your hips. I am now up to using a 150 pound kettlebell for sets of five reps.

Kettlebell wrist twists: lay the back of your hand against the floor as you grab the kettlebell by the handle. Twist the kettlebell back and forth as you “kiss” the ground with the bell. Repeat for 5 to 10 repetitions.

Pitcher curls: grasp one or two kettlebells by the handle(s) and start with them at your thighs. Maintain a straight back with your arms held at your sides. Keep your elbows in the same position, move the kettlebell(s) upward to the bottoms up position. Repeat the movement for 5 to 10 repetitions.

Bottoms-up press: this movement is the most effective pressing motion to engage your lats and improve your overall overhead press, and it’s incredible for grip development. On a good day, I can do it with a 28kg kettlebell, but I can invariably perform this movement with a 24kg kettlebell, even on my worst day.

Bottoms-up carries: this exercise forces the recruitment of additional stabilizers, not only in the forearms, but in the whole body, and aids in discovering new neural pathways for the hands. Since several muscles in my hand not longer had a signal coming form my brain, I had to find new pathways and develop additional strength in other, previously ancillary muscles and stabilizers. This movement also creates greater muscular endurance.

Farmer’s walks: grip strength development is one of the many benefits of the farmer’s walk. I will typically do 4 to 6 minutes of farmer’s walks as the last part of my workout–as a finisher. In contrast, I generally perform the bottoms-up carries in the beginning of the session.

Neuro-Grip push-ups: I have to thank my buddy Jon Bruney for inventing this device and bringing it to Dragon Door. I love this device and use it a great deal! Grip strength, wrist strength, balance, and core recruitment are developed to such a high level with this little tool. When I first got them in, I could only do about 20 repetitions. Fast forward a year later, my PR is 57 on two hands and 5 with the one armed version. My best is two in a row on my damaged (right) side. I recommend that everyone get Neuro-Grips.

Snatches: snatches tax the grip. Even if you pop the kettlebell in your hand from palm to fingers on the downward movement, spear your hand at the top and rotate your thumb inward at the bottom. The grip will be the first thing that goes, check out people’s hands after doing their first RKC Snatch Test or after executing the V02 protocol, if you have any doubt.

There are a few other practices I employ. I use a thumbless grip whenever possible, and I focus on squeezing my pinky when I’m doing grinds with my full grip. These two variations have helped me avoid recurring elbow problems. The thumbless grip forces you to use your lats more.

There are many other exercises: hanging from a pull-up bar, rows, bottoms-up cleans. I’m not back up to pressing the 44kg yet, but I can get the 40 up on a good day and recently did a get-up with the 44kg. So four and 1/2 years after my surgery, I continue to improve!

Strength and Honor!

Coach Phil

Stay tuned for Part 2!

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Master RKC Phil Ross is the creator of many strength and conditioning programs, including The Kettlebell Workout Library. Visit www.philross.com to learn about his programs, classes, and workshops. Subscribe to his YouTube channel for more workout and exercise info.

Olympic Lifting’s Best Companion

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Maciej Bielski kettlebell press

Almost everyone knows that kettlebell training will help your progress with barbell exercises. Unfortunately it doesn’t really work the other way around, until you’ve built up monstrous levels of strength.

The ballistic nature of the kettlebell swing and the coordination and stability required for a successful heavy kettlebell get-up both feel very different when compared to barbell exercises.

As an amateur weightlifter with over 14 years of practice, I’m certainly not dismissing barbell training. My kettlebell training actually began as a supplement to my barbell lifts—and every single minute of kettlebell practice has been worth it.

Since adding heavy one-arm kettlebell swings to my training, my grip has gotten stronger than ever, and my lower back is stronger and more solid for barbell deadlifts. Bottom-up kettlebell squats have helped me stay upright and composed for very heavy barbell front squats.

Until you get hooked on kettlebells, you might not appreciate the value of using the comparatively lighter weights associated with kettlebells as compared to barbells.

Maciej coaching barbell

Like most weightlifters, I had some issues with my lifting form. In the Olympic lifts and their variations, the second pull was my nemesis. I just couldn’t get the timing right. I trained with straps, pulled from blocks, tried all kinds of variations—but I still couldn’t get it. The timing of the hip snap is so essential for a powerful acceleration of the barbell. The kettlebell cure was silently standing nearby, but I didn’t understand that until the RKC Workshop.

After the RKC certification, I devoted more time practicing what I learned at the course. Most of my life, I have practiced martial arts and knew that while the basics may be boring, they build the solid foundation of every single aspect of your training—and in life. In my own training, I have spent a lot of time on the basic kettlebell swing.

After being taught the proper kettlebell swing mechanics, I bought some heavier kettlebells and started swinging them regularly. I did sets of 10, 30 and 50—for fun and conditioning.

I focused on pulling the kettlebell behind myself, before I accelerating it with my glutes. Locking the quads and bracing the core as a split-second break at the top of the swing taught me more than the past few years of weightlifting alone. I now understood that my movement pattern had been causing the problems in my Olympic lifts. After establishing a solid foundation for the hinge—and its dynamic variations—it can easily transfer to the second pull of many Olympic barbell lifts.

Maciej with kettlebell and barbell

Since that realization, I focused on kettlebell training and stopped Olympic lifting for about three months. I practiced squats, deadlifts and presses but with minimal volume and heavier loads because I was worried that I’d lose some of my maximal output.

But, when I came back to Olympic lifting and tried barbell snatches again, the bar went up so fast on the first attempt that I almost couldn’t control it!

Since then, I’ve applied the same training plan for my clients and students. It’s worked for them as well—no one has problems with the second pull anymore. It used to be the trickiest part of many lifts, but the problems have been eliminated with our kettlebell practice.

The Hardstyle kettlebell swing is a clever teaching method for the hip snap, which is crucial for the correct mechanics on the second pull in weightlifting.

If you don’t want to struggle as long as I did with the second pull of the Olympic lifts, be sure to train with a certified RKC instructor so you can learn the right way to swing kettlebells. Soon, you’ll see the barbell fly up faster than ever before.

Maciej and Max Shank

 

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Maciej Bielski, RKC is the owner and Head Coach of Crossfit Trójmiasto in Sopot, Poland. He has been very active in martial arts for most of his life. Maciej academics were specialized in physiology and physical effort biochemistry. He now is exclusively focused on coaching. He is currently the leading specialist in Athletic Training and Training Methodology in Poland. He gives lectures and teaches workshops in many locations including Mauricz Training Center. Visit his blog at Ugot2BeStrong and click here for more information about RKC in Poland

CrossFit, Kettlebell Training, Kale Salad and Donuts

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Nick Lynch kettlebell press

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

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

Why?

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

Hinge = staying in your wedge, reach your butt towards the wall behind you without forward bending of the knees.
Hinge = staying in your wedge, reach your butt towards the wall behind you without forward bending of the knees.
Wedge = shoulders packed, pelvis neutral, glutes locked and abs flexed rock solid.

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

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

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

Phil Ross RKC demo

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

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

Jared CrossFit Naptown wrist extension

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

RKC Workshop Jared squat

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

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

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

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

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

Day 4 – Hardstyle – Follow the program listed below.

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

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

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

Hardstyle Program-Day 2:

Suitcase Deadlift – go heavy, 3-5 reps

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

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

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

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

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Core:

Reverse plank x10 seconds

Plank x10 seconds

Side planks, both sides, x10 seconds each

Rest 30-seconds

Repeat 2-4 sets

 

Hardstyle Program Day-4

Goblet Squat – heavy, 3-5 reps

OH Double press – medium, 3-5 reps

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Pull ups – 3-5 reps

Split squat – medium, 3 reps per side

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Core:

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

Mtn Climbers – 20 reps

Pelvic Push Ups – 3 reps

Rest 30-seconds

Repeat 2-4 sets

 

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

Awareness and Kettlebell Training

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Martijn Bos Awarness Krav Maga

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Martijn Bos Kettlebell Get-Up

Safety First… Always

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

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

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

 

Fighting Through Resistance

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

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

Martijn Bos Krav Maga

Technical, Not Emotional

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

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

 

Working Under Stress

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

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

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

Examples of how I increase stress for my students:

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

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

Martijn Bos Kettlebell Press

Example Workouts

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

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

A1 OA swing HS plank Precision striking Sets
10 L/R @32kg 10 sec 90 sec 3-5 sets
A2
Press * Bottom position Squat, elbows 90* Precision kicking Sets
5-8 @28kg 20-30 sec @16kg 90 sec 3-5 sets
     
A3 Sit-up, press up Press Getting away from ground-position Sets
5 L @24kg 5-8 L @24kg a.s.a.p. 3 sets
5 R @24kg 5-8 R @24kg a.s.a.p. 3 sets

* Missing in the video below

If you are training with a partner:

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

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

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

How to Lead the 10,000 Swing Challenge with Small Group Classes

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Lori Crock MoveStrong Kettlebells

You may be familiar with the 10,000 Swing Challenge shared by Master RKC Dan John. In the challenge, you complete 500 kettlebell swings per day, five days a week, in a 30-day period.

In this post, I will share how I’ve adapted the 10,000 Swing Challenge for a small group class environment. My version of the plan lasts for a few months since my students are typically in the gym for class 2, 3 or 4 times each week. We do 100 to 300 kettlebell swings per class, so depending on how often they train per week, it will take 5-6 months for the average student to complete 10,000 swings.

In a 45-minute class, we prioritize swings but include many other lifts and movements such as the press, snatch, clean, squat, and Turkish get-ups. We also do carries and bodyweight movements such as planks, push-ups and pull-ups along with kettlebell and barbell deadlifts. Mobility is a high priority. We allot 10-15 minutes of class time for mobility drills relevant to the work we’re doing that day.

I like the 10,000 swing program for a small group class environment for three key reasons:

  1. The challenge builds excitement for kettlebell swings and helps people set goals in a competitive but good-natured environment. We can see everyone’s swing totals on a white board, so we encourage, cajole and challenge each other to keep going strong. People often start doing swings outside of the gym when they can’t make it to class.
  1. Everyone’s kettlebell swing technique improves dramatically, and that makes everything else we do in the gym better. Swings are fabulous for hip mobility, glute, back and abdominal strength, cardiovascular endurance, and overall strength and conditioning for life and sport.
  1. Our other lifts and movements naturally get stronger when we do more swings. When we do barbell deadlifts every two weeks, we see PRs nearly every time when we have increased swing training. Snatches are easier, cleans are stronger, grip improves, and torso strength goes through the roof.

In my experience, there is no downside to this program as long as students learn safe technique from an RKC instructor. Students must also be careful to keep up with mobilizing tight muscles, continuing to train other lifts and movements and not to overtrain.

Lori Crock Group Kettlebell swings

Programming Guidelines:

  • Use one and two arm kettlebell swings as the base of the program. Include hand-to-hand swings, too.
  • Use other types of swings, but less often—examples include low swings, pendulum, eccentric, walking, double kettlebell, dead-stop, and mixed double kettlebell swings.
  • Have students perform their swings individually, or with a partner (or in two groups) using a you-go-and-I-go format. Try a “swing wave”: when one person finishes their swing, the next person starts their kettlebell swing.
  • Use complexes, chains, ladders, pyramids, and AMRAP (as many reps as possible; we use 2-10 minute sets) workout formats to create challenging sessions.
  • Encourage your students to swing different weights. Do sets of 30-50 swings with light kettlebells, and sets of 20 with moderate weight kettlebells. Use heavier kettlebells for sets of 5, 10, or 15 swings with 30 to 60 seconds of rest. Try swinging heavy, medium and light kettlebells in succession. There are no rules or limits other than to simply be smart and don’t overdo it.
  • Use “duos” to practice other skills at the same time with these combinations: swing-snatch, swing-clean, swing-squat, and swing-high pull.
  • Pair mobility work with swings for practice and recovery; see the get-up and swing training example below.

Lori Crock Leading Group Mobility

Small Group 10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge Training Examples

Deadlifts, Get-Up Mobility, and 120 Kettlebell Swings

Warm-up: T-spine mobility, RKC hip flexor stretch, and RKC arm bar

Sumo deadlifts: 5 sets of 5 reps, then 5 sets of 8 reps while progressively increasing the weight

  • Get-up to post 3L + 3R
  • 3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings
  • Get-up leg sweep and crooked arm bar in half-kneeling 3L + 3R
  • 3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings
  • Get-up high bridge 3L + 3R
  • 3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings
  • Get-up step-back lunge and step up with kettlebell overhead 3L + 3R
  • 3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings

Mobility cool down: 5-10 minutes (include a full get-up on each side)

 

Work-Rest Interval Kettlebell Lifts, Carries and 160 Swings

Warm-up: Squat mobility, hip openers, shoulder circles, lunging, skipping and crawling

  • Goblet squats: 30 seconds on, 20 seconds off x6
  • Carry: goblet lunges x10
  • Two-arm kettlebell swings: 20 seconds on, 15 seconds off x 6
  • Carry: single kettlebell suitcase walk or lunge 10L + 10R
  • Push-press: 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off x6
  • Carry: single kettlebell overhead walk or lunge 10L + 10R
  • Clean: 20 seconds on, 15 seconds off x6
  • Carry: single kettlebell racked walk up to 2 minutes on the left side then repeat on the right

Finisher: 100 hand-to-hand swings

Mobility cool down: 5-10 minutes

 

Swings, Squats, Push-ups, and 200 Kettlebell Swings

5 rounds:

  • Two-hand walking kettlebell swings: 10 reps, active rest with fast & loose, 10 more reps
  • Single kettlebell racked squat, 5L + 5R
  • Push-ups: knee or strict 1-20 reps (or Hardstyle plank or tall plank for 30 seconds)

5 rounds:

  • Single-arm kettlebell swings 10L + 10R

Mobility cool down: 5-10 minutes

 

Bottoms-Up and Swing Variations with 300+ Kettlebell Swings

Warm-up: choose a light kettlebell for halos, good mornings, French press, prying goblet squat, RKC hip bridge, planks, t-spine bridge. Include wrist and finger mobility, and shoulder rolls

3 rounds:

  • Bottoms-up cleans: 5L + 5R
  • Bottoms-up clean to squat: 3L + 3R
  • Bottoms-up clean to squat to press: 3L + 3R

5 rounds:

  • Two-arm pendulum swings: 20 reps

Complete the following sequence of two-arm kettlebell swings without putting the kettlebell down:

  • 5 reps low swings
  • 5 reps standard swings
  • 5 reps eccentric over-speed swings

6 rounds:

  • Windmills for recovery (choose a light kettlebell or no weight): 3L + 3R

AMRAP kettlebell swings: do as many single-arm swing variations as possible in 5 minutes. Choose standard, pendulum, hand-to-hand, low and dead-stop swings with various kettlebells.

Lori Crock Group Kettlebell deadlifts

If you’ve used the 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge with your clients in a small group format, please comment below to share your experience.

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Lori Crock is an RKC Team Leader, PCC instructor, FMS-I & II, USAW-I and owner of MoveStrong Kettlebells in Dublin, Ohio. Lori teaches small group kettlebell, bodyweight and mobility classes to all ages and fitness levels. Lori can be reached at lori@movestrongkbs.com, www.movestrongkbs.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MoveStrongKBs/

 

 

Training an Olympic Judoka with Kettlebell Swings and the Goblet Squat

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Colton Brown Goblet Squat

10,000 athletes compete in the Summer Olympics. Colton Brown, age 23, was ranked number 1 in the USA (and 27th in the world) in the Men’s 90 Kilogram Judo Black Belt Division on May 30, 2016. Now, Colton is heading to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro to represent the USA.

The road to Rio was not easy, but Colton’s USA Olympic Judo Team qualification was one of the proudest moments in my young career as a strength coach. After four years of hard work, Colton has manifested a dream he’s had since age 12.

Colton had just returned from competing in the World Judo Championships in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil when I first began working with him in August of 2013. I had just begun my coaching career by volunteering as the Spartan Judo Team strength coach at San Jose State University. As a dominant collegiate Judo athlete and 2-time All American, Colton had his sights set on becoming an Olympian. After the World Judo Championships, Colton wanted to gain muscle mass. We spent the Fall semester in the weight-room working on a basic hypertrophy program. With the 2016 Olympic qualification period nine months away, we planned to spend two-thirds of the year on strength and hypertrophy. By mid-November, Colton had made significant strength and size gains.

Colton then traveled to Texas and Japan, two of 2013’s last important tournaments. At the Tokyo Grand Slam Tournament, he reported standing toe to toe with the number four competitor in the world—and he only lost by a penalty. Colton won six matches and took the gold medal at the Dallas Open. He credits our weight training program for helping him become the best player in the country.

After the tournaments, Colton kept training on campus at San Jose State, he also trained with me privately two to three times each week at the facility. Even before he began working with me, Colton already had a great deadlift, crushed pull-ups, and push-ups with ease. But, Colton’s weakest lift was the squat. While we had addressed his movement patterns and mobility, the exercise which ultimately helped Colton improve his squat was the goblet squat.

Since late 2014, the goblet squat has been a staple of Colton’s training. At first, I used it as a tool to teach Colton to squat more efficiently, and to build a strong foundation. Next, we progressed to the barbell back squat, double kettlebell front squat, and many others. I believe goblet squats are a great exercise for athletic movement preparation, or as a stand-alone drill for mobility.

Most importantly, the goblet squat is a great in-season squat patterning exercise for all athletes. Judo athletes face a unique programming challenge—their entire year is “in-season”. There’s no true “off season”, especially at the international level. Judo athletes compete and train on a regular basis. Even during the “slower” parts of the year, they practice on the mat twice a day, for five to six days each week. During the qualification period, they frequently travel for qualifying tournaments and required training camps. Extra travel is another unique programming challenge.

Goblet squats have a high benefit to low-risk ratio. I am not comfortable placing a lot of load on my Judo athletes during certain times of the year with barbell back squats, or front squats. Regardless of the competition calendar, I can always turn to the goblet squat—it’s safe, effective, and works well in our training program.

Colton Brown Judo Throw

The Road to Rio

In April 2014, Colton won his third consecutive title at the National Collegiate Judo Championships and continued to establishing himself as the one of the best Judo players in the USA. Shortly after, the Olympic qualification period began in May 30, 2014 and lasted until May 30, 2016. Prior to qualification, we made sure to build a solid base of strength. With more travel, we adjusted the volume of Colton’s program while he competed all over the world.

The World Tour is tough on Judo athletes. It’s stressful, and while they get to see the world, it’s not a vacation. Standing are constantly changing, qualification points are on the line—along with the demands of competing and traveling in vastly different environments all over the world. It’s a grind.

During the two-year qualification period, I added kettlebell training to many of Colton’s workouts. The kettlebell can profoundly benefit elite level Judo athletes. Kettlebell training is one of the most important ingredients in our recipe for success. While I don’t use kettlebells exclusively in my programs, they have proven time and time again to benefit our athletes on the Judo mat. Kettlebell swings may be one of the best movements a Judoka can perform in the weight room. Since adding more swings to Colton’s training sessions in the Spring of 2014, they have remained a staple in his training as a go-to power exercise.

We needed to train Colton to be as strong and healthy as possible to endure the intense training camps and international Judo tournaments. While Colton had less time to train with me, our general programming template remained the same. For the three years we’ve been training, I’ve tried to use as many “big bang for your buck” movements in his training—no matter what tool we use.

Big Bang For Your Buck Movements

  • Push (horizontal and vertical)
  • Pull (horizontal and vertical)
  • Hinge (bilateral and unilateral)
  • Squat (bilateral and unilateral)
  • Crawling (side to side, forwards, backwards)
  • Core training
  • Movement in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes

Colton’s programs included balanced workouts with a wide variety of exercises with barbells, TRX, medicine balls, dumbbells, and kettlebells. For example, in one workout we would focus on a hinge movement and a pushing movement, then the next workout would feature a squatting movement and a pulling movement. I also included mobility, core training, and accessory movements in every session. Occasionally, we took the training to the beach or park. I think it’s important to include variety in your training and training environment. Another reason I love the kettlebell is you can work out with it almost anywhere.

Making the USA Olympic Judo Team

Colton continued to train relentlessly both on and off the Judo mat during the qualification period. During that time, he won a Gold Medal in the Pan American Open in San Salvador, Silver Medals at the European Open in Glasgow and African Open in Tunis, and placed at many other renowned tournaments throughout the world.

At the prestigious Pan American Championships in Havana, Cuba in May 2016, Colton earned three wins with one loss, capturing a Silver Medal after finishing in fifth-place for the previous two years. Now, Colton will be one of only three men representing the United States Judo Team in Rio De Janeiro this August.

Daily, Colton spends countless hours on the mats perfecting his judo technique, dialing in his nutrition, practicing mental visualization, planning his recovery, and studying his opponents. He also gives his best in every strength and conditioning session.

Kettlebell Swings and the Goblet Squat for Judo Performance

The Goblet Squat

The goblet squat is a staple in almost all of Colton’s strength and conditioning programs for the past two and a half years. Since there’s no true off-season in Judo, I have to be smart about loading him up. While we use other squat variations with the barbell, the goblet squat is our go-to.

Goblet Squat Prying

After a two to three week hiatus due to travel, goblet squat prying was an excellent choice to help open his hips. Flying has a direct physical impact. Sitting can cause the hip flexors and hamstrings to get tight and stiff. It can also take a toll on the spine, hips, and shoulders. Long flights leave your legs tight and your glutes inactive. One of the mobility drills I learned at the HKC is goblet squat prying, and it is incredibly effective for loosening up the hips.

I instruct the athlete to breathe deeply while maintaining their posture. As they begin to loosen up, I will instruct them to go deeper into the squat while wiggling the hips from side to side and in a small figure-8 as taught at the HKC. Alternately, I will instruct them to hold the bottom of the goblet squat position for a count of 10 breaths. We often superset the prying goblet squat with the RKC hip flexor stretch. These two exercises can do wonders for the hips, especially after a long flight. Adding a few sets of mini band activation exercises such as bent knee lateral walks, and mini band glute bridges ensure glute engagement. After opening up the hips, stretching the hip flexors, and turning on the glutes, the athlete is ready for a more productive training session.

The Goblet Squat as a “Mini Screen”

While I’m certified to use the FMS screen and administer it throughout the year, I also use the goblet squat in warm-ups and as a quick daily screen. Goblet squats how me how the athlete is moving during that particular training session. Basic movements like lunges, push ups, and squatting patterns can be used as movement preparation for the training session and as “mini screens”. I want to get a picture of where the athlete is on that given day, along with any flaws or leaks in the movement.

The Goblet Squat as a Teaching Aide

The goblet squat reinforces correct squatting mechanics. Colton’s squatting pattern, squat depth, and mobility immediately improved after adding the goblet squat to his program. The goblet squat is one of the best tools for helping my Judo athletes develop movement competency in the squatting pattern. I’m more confident when progressing them to advanced squatting variations such as barbell front squats, or racked kettlebell front squats.

San Jose Judo Kettlebells

The Kettlebell Swing

Powerful hip hinging movements teach athletes how to load their hips rather than their spine. They learn better ground force production while building a strong posterior chain (back, butt, abs, and hamstrings). For these reasons alone, the swing is always at the top of my exercise selection list for Judo athletes. I almost always some type of kettlebell swing in their programs. Russian wrestlers have used kettlebells for years and recognized the carryover onto the wrestling mats. I think the kettlebell swing is one of the best conditioning choices for grapplers and other combat sport athletes.

Hip Hinge

Moving comfortably and efficiently from the hip is important for the proper execution of throws and other movements in Judo. The main movements in the hip hinge are bending (flexion) and straightening (hip extension) when standing back up. A good Judo athlete must be able to properly hinge from the hips when setting up for or defending a takedown. I have seen a direct carryover from the explosive hip snap action of swinging kettlebells to the mat, especially for throwing.

Colton told me, “Judo is 90% hips, so when there’s a lot of kettlebell swings in my program my hips feel powerful—especially in my defense. When guys come in and try to throw me forward, I’m able to use my hips to block throws a lot more effectively.” Every time Colton sets up for kettlebell swings, he has to start from an athletic position before hiking the kettlebell back. Anytime your athletes can practice getting into the athletic position during training you’re on to something good. In grappling, the athletic position is critical for defending and blocking throws.

Grip

A kettlebell’s thick handle challenges the grip—another reason that kettlebells can greatly benefit the Judoka. If you’re doing a lot of swings, you’re also spending a lot of time building a vise-like grip. I experienced kettlebell-enhanced grip strength in my own Jiu-Jitsu practice when gripping my opponent’s gi. During the months of preparation leading up the HKC, I developed a better grip which was immediately apparent at my Jiu-Jitsu class.

Colton Brown Judo Pin

There are many ways to grip the gi in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu not only on the lapel and sleeves, but also on the pants and various parts of the jacket—sometimes even the belt. Once you achieve a good grip, you don’t want to lose it. “Without a good grip, Judo does not work” (Pedro, 2001 p48). Swings are just one of many kettlebell exercises (loaded carries, heavy get ups, presses, etc.) you can use to develop a strong grip. It is important to note that you can have the strongest grip in the world, but if you’re holding on to the wrong things, it does not help in Judo. Efficient gripping is addressed in the specific physical preparation of Judo practice, and should be complemented with supplemental grip strengthening exercises in a strength and conditioning program.

Tension and Relaxation

Some Judokas are too relaxed—and they are easily thrown. Others aren’t relaxed enough, and they ultimately burn more energy and fatigue more quickly than their opponent during the match. At the top of the kettlebell swing, all of your muscles must contract to allow the kettlebell to float briefly and then quickly relax so you can begin the backswing. The tension/relaxation principle taught in Hardstyle kettlebell training is incredibly valuable for the Judoka. Throughout a Judo match there is a constant—almost yin and yang like—balance between relaxation and tension. When working with Colton on his swings, I regularly reminded him to create tension at the top of each swing with the cues “tight abs” and “tight glutes”. At the same time I also checked for a full exhale, and during the backswing I would remind him to “relax”.

One principle from Hardstyle kettlebell training that I continually drive home with my Judo athletes is the transition between tension and relaxation. Kettlebell swings allow athletes to quickly create maximal amounts of tension followed by relaxation. This is a skill that can be transferred into almost any throw attempted on the mat.

Final Thoughts

Kettlebell training has played a big part in Colton Brown’s physical preparation for the Olympics, and I believe that kettlebell training is of particular benefit for anyone involved in martial arts such as Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai. This also holds true for any other type of combat sport like wrestling, boxing, or MMA.

 

Resources:

  1. Bakken, J. (2012, July 23). A journey of Olympic proportions begins with a determined step. Retrieved June 03, 2016, from https://www.uab.edu/news/latest/item/2599-a-journey-of-olympic-proportions-begins-with-a-determined-step
  1. Pedro, J., & Durbin, W. (2001). Judo techniques & tactics. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

More about Judo Athlete Colton Brown:

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Ashoka McCormick, HKC, NASM-CPT, FMSC, CFSC works at Paradigm Sport Elite Athlete Training Center in Santa Cruz, CA, and he also serves as the Volunteer Strength & Conditioning Coach for SJSU Judo. He can be contacted at coachashoka@gmail.com. Please mention HKC in the subject. Connect with Ashoka McCormick on LinkedIn or follow him on Instagram: @ashoka_trains

Rowing and Kettlebells

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Kathryn Taylor Kettlebells and Rowing

Indoor rowing is one of the fastest growing fitness trends in the US. Head to any major city and you’ll find rowing gyms. Even the local YMCAs are taking the rowing machines out of the corner and moving them to a prominent spot. But, with the rise of rowing, we also find many people rowing with poor technique. In addition to holding an RKC certification and regularly teaching kettlebells at FitWit Studio, I also started to teach rowing this past year and became a certified rowing instructor through UCanRow2. Many of my clients already have a background in kettlebells, and I’ve found that kettlebells can be a highly effective method to teach rowing.

First, a little bit about rowing… You may have seen athletes at the gym leaning all the way back at the end of a stroke and moving with lightning speed up and down the slide. For the most part, you’ve probably observed very poor form. Rowing, like kettlebell training, is highly technical. The power of the stroke comes from the push-back (legs) and the movement forward is all recovery. A goal is to set up for a strong push during the recovery. Basically, the movement pattern starting from the front of the erg is to push back with the legs, then the body goes back at a “one o’clock” position while the arms pull in. Return to the front of the erg by straightening the arms, hinging at the hips to the “eleven o’clock” position, before moving forward on the erg to the start or “catch” position. The order of the movement: legs, body, arms, arms, body, legs. Repeat this pattern one million times and you are rowing!

As I began to teach clients the rowing technique, I found myself moving them off the erg and over to the kettlebell so they could really learn how to properly row using the deadlift, goblet squat, and swing.

Kettlebell Deadlift: Hinge

When rowing, the body closely mimics the deadlift position. But, since it’s often difficult for clients to understand the concept of the hinge while on the machine, we practice our kettlebell deadlift set-up. We work on the hinge, and use the power of the legs to drive the kettlebell up. Then we get back on the erg and mimic the same position. The deadlift also helps clients really understand the correct shoulder position—rather than allowing the shoulders to round forward at the end of each stroke, they learn to keep their back in a strong position.

Kathryn Taylor Goblet Squat and Rowing

The Goblet Squat: Drive

Because most new rowers think that the power comes from the arms, it’s really important to teach them how to drive from their feet, and engage their glutes to push themselves back. I’ve used the goblet squat to reinforce this idea. My clients start with a fairly light kettlebell, and go deep into a goblet squat. They pause for 2-3 seconds at the bottom before standing up by driving hard thorough their feet. They do 5 reps, then do the next set with a heavier kettlebell. We repeat this process 2-3 times. The goal for this drill is to teach them that with heavier weight, they need to drive harder into the ground to stand up. After this drill, we get on the erg and practice the drive.

The Kettlebell Swing: Rhythm

Rowing has a certain rhythm to the stroke. You press back hard and fast, then recover slowly. Each individual has to find the right rhythm (stroke rate) for their most efficient row. If you go too quickly, your heart rate will spike too high. But if you go too slowly, you’ll burn out your legs. The kettlebell swing mimics the same rhythm that we are trying to find on the erg. A hard, fast drive gets the kettlebell up, before we allow the kettlebell to fall back down as we recover. All of the work happens on the way up. The swing has the additional benefit of reinforcing the hip hinge of the deadlift.

I’ve found that people who have practiced kettlebell training for a year or more tend to pick up rowing technique faster than those who haven’t. If you’re looking for a new cardio workout to add to your routine, I suggest trying rowing.

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Kathryn Taylor, RKC, ACE-CPT, Oh Baby Fitness!, UcanRow2, TRX Level 1, is Studio Manager of FitWit Studio in Kirkwood/Decatur, Georgia.