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The Turkish Get Down Press and the Road to Windmills and Bent Presses

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Dan John Performs a Kettlebell Get Down Press

Let me cut straight to the point, something I rarely do: the Turkish Get Down Press (TGDP) has allowed me to speed up the teaching process of three of the most difficult kettlebell exercises to teach and master:

  • The Turkish Get Up
  • The Windmill “Family”
  • The Bent Press

Actually, the TGDP has helped me speed up the teaching of the entire pressing family, too, but I like my world to fit neatly in threes. Certainly, you may know the exercise, but like The Rock’s world in Jungle Cruise, there seems a whole lot more to discover

I liked the movie. Just saying.

Committing to a few rounds of this lift might save you a lot of time and energy later trying to explain the hows and whys of doing the movement.

If you know how my brain works, you also know that this “all starts with a story.” We, my morning training corps (my Intentional Community), were having a typical gym discussion about what to do next in the workout. For the record, not EVERY thing we do in training is computer generated perfection.

Actually, the BEST things we do are usually cobbled together. Not every group can handle a Jazz Improv training program but it seems to work with us as we are a mix of ages, occupations and experience.

I had just returned from a workshop. At said workshop, someone asked about having a workout with just a single kettlebell and a basic knowledge of Tim Anderson’s Original Strength. (I include an example at the end) and we talked about how much I love, love I tell you, doing the Half-Kneeling Press for home trainees. Including me.

Done correctly, with the 90-degree angles at the knees and a tall position of the body, the Half-Kneeling Press stretches, mobilizes, and strengthens a host of bodyparts and “just feels good.”

And, of course, the question came up.

“Which hand with which knee?”

You see, with this press varietal, you have some options. You can press with one arm…or two. You can have your left knee down or your right knee. As you know, in lifting there are three knees:

  • The Left Knee
  • The Right Knee
  • The Hiney

I crack myself up. By the way, spellcheck does NOT like my spelling of “hiney.” For your illumination, I give you the dictionary explanation of my awful joke:

The first records of hiney come from the first half of the 1900s. It is derived from words based on the root word hind, meaning “the back,” as in behind (another euphemism for the buttocks) and hindquarters. The suffix -y or -ie is used to add an endearing or euphemistic quality to words—to make them cuter or more familiar, as in granny and doggie.

Dan John Demonstrates part of the Get-Down Press Sequence with a light kettlebell

We came to a decision as a group that the left knee should be down if pressing with the right hand and the right knee should be down if pressing with the left hand.

Why?

The Turkish Get Up!!!

Actually, one would learn this doing a correct Turkish Get Down. And, for total candor, it is the Turkish Get Down Press that got us thinking of this reason.

You don’t know the Turkish Get Down Press? Let me say this: for speeding up the teaching of the TGU, I have yet to find anything better than the TGD Press. It’s very simple:

At each step of the TG Down, add a press. I am telling you this now also: go lighter than you think.

Simply, here you go:

  1. I suggest snatching the bell up to the top. You can certainly clean and press but that adds an additional press to a lot of presses.
  2. Standing tall, press the bell.
  3. Step back with the foot opposite the bell into what I call the Cross Country Ski Position. For the record, the “key” to the TGD is a longish step back as it gives you space to move later. The knee will get close to touching the ground, but don’t let it touch. Press the kettlebell.
  4. Bring the knee down to the Half-Kneeling position. Press the bell.
  5. Windshield Wiper the front foot. I recommend pressing the bell here, too.
  6. Hinge back and bring the free hand to the floor. The hand, knee and foot should all be in a line. The knee should bisect that line. Press the bell.

(It should feel like a warmup for the Bent Press because it is a warmup for the Bent Press) Look, an asterisk: * (See Below)

  1. Sweep the butt through to the Tall Sit Position. Press the bell.
  2. Roll to the elbow. Press the bell.
  3. Roll to the floor. Press the bell.
  4. With BOTH hands, bring the bell down, cuddle it, roll to the side and release the bell safely to the floor.

*Position Six is called the Kneeling Windmill and will be the focus of the next article in this series.

Let’s watch someone demonstrate it. The model seems to know what to do.

That’s eight presses. That’s a lot of presses. Moreover, as you will discover, the press grooves were different almost every press. I find that my shoulders feel better after this exercise. This movement can be done for mobility work and this is what I use the move for in my own training.

The TGDP can also be done for hypertrophy. If you did three rounds of both sides for eight total reps per round (24 total presses per hand), I’m just guessing something good would happen. Perhaps you would get those “shoulders that are the envy of your friends” that I used to read about in the muscle magazines. My friends envy my naturally curly hair (with a nod to Peanuts).

So, yes, this exercise is a great exercise. For my work with kettlebells, there are other values to this movement.

First, I’m not sure there is a better way to teach the Turkish Get UP. The Turkish Get DOWN with presses stops the participant at several key points and holds these positions in place. If you can’t get the press groove, there is a good chance the bell is in the wrong place. Most of the little troubling positions and points of the TGU are cleaned up with this simple drill.

Second, and it was only at the most recent RKC II that I realized this as clearly as I do now, this drill is gateway to the Windmill and Bent Press family.

Next time, we will dissect the Kneeling Windmill and show you how this single position can teach so much, so fast to so many.

The simple program I promised you.

One KB only mixed with Original Strength.

A1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
A2. Prone Neck Nod

B1. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
B2. Prone Find Your Shoes

C1. Goblet Squat
C2. Six Point Rock

D1. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
D2. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

E1. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
E2. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

F1. Swings
F2. Egg Rolls

“Maybe” Day One:

Super set with Sets of Eight (Three Rounds)
A1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
A2. Prone Neck Nod

B1. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
B2. Prone Find Your Shoes

Superset with Sets of Eight (Three Rounds)
C1. Goblet Squat
C2. Six Point Rock

Superset for maybe Thirty Seconds each
D1. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
D2. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
E1. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
E2. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

Five Rounds of 15 Swings and appropriate Egg Rolls
F1. Swings
F2. Egg Rolls

“Maybe” Day Two

Three Sets of Eight
A1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
A2. Prone Neck Nod

Three Sets of Eight
B1. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
B2. Prone Find Your Shoes

Three Sets of Eight
C1. Goblet Squat
C2. Six Point Rock

Three Rounds of Thirty Seconds Each
D1. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
D2. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
E1. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
E2. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

“Up to 100 Swings”
F1. Swings
F2. Egg Rolls

“Maybe” Day Three

The entire circuit for three rounds of eights and thirty seconds as appropriate.

  1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
  2. Prone Neck Nod
  3. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
  4. Prone Find Your Shoes
  5. Goblet Squat
  6. Six Point Rock
  7. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
  8. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
  9. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
  10. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
  11. Swings
  12. Egg Rolls

There you go…off the top of the head but pretty good.

***

Master RKC, Dan John is the author of numerous fitness titles including The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge: A Fundamental Guide To Training For Strength And Power, the best selling Never Let Go and Easy Strength. Dan has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.

Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. For more information visit DanJohn.net

How To Work Out At Home With Your Kettlebell

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Ryan Jankowitz Outdoor Home Workout

We are living in uncertain times right now, and it’s more important than ever to focus on our health and fitness. For better or worse, working from home does have its advantages. I haven’t missed commuting. And working from home has allowed me to get higher quality workouts as I now have more time each day.

Even though I just have a few kettlebells, but I’m still crushing my workouts and feel as strong as ever.

So, I wanted to share my workout formula, so you can experience the joy of kettlebell training at home—even if you only have one kettlebell. I didn’t invent this formula, but it has worked time after time for me and my clients. We will be doing total body workouts to save time and to promote general athleticism.

The simplest way to design full body workouts is to choose a pulling and a pushing exercise.  This also creates balance and symmetry. We can get more creative by dividing the pushing and pulling into upper and lower body so that we’ll have upper body pulling, lower body pulling, upper body pushing and lower body pushing.

Ryan Jankowitz Kettlebell Home WorkoutPulling and Pushing Exercise Examples

Upper Body Pulling:

Lower Body Pulling:

Upper Body Pushing:

Lower Body Pushing:

These basic exercises can build a foundation of strength and athleticism and can be used in many different combinations to keep training fun.

The basic formula I use for creating workouts:

Warm-up for 5-10 minutes (get your heart rate up and muscles warm)

Strength Block One:
(3-5x Sets)

  • Lower body pulling exercise
  • Upper body pushing exercise
  • Core exercise

Strength Block Two:
(3-5x Sets)

  • Lower body pushing exercise
  • Upper body pulling exercise
  • Core exercise

Conditioning:
(choose one exercise or create your own combination)

  • Swings
  • Sprints
  • Jump Rope
  • Burpees
  • Jumping Jacks

Cool down (light stretching, easy walk)

This formula has served me and my clients well for years. I would love to hear about the workout combinations you create with this formula in the comments section below.

Stay Strong and Safe,
Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II

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

 

The Happy Challenge

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Suzanne Bos-Betlem, RKC

Two things I am very passionate about are music and kettlebells. They both cheer me up incredibly and I cannot imagine my life without them. But, bring these two together… and that’s when the magic happens!

Music can be a great stimulus during a workout. It’s a powerful tool that can take your training to the next level. For quite some time, I’ve been looking for a good song-based kettlebell workout. I specifically looking for a cheerful tune—an upbeat song that could effectively brighten up your day. Even more importantly, I needed a song that would respect the kettlebell principles I strongly believe in. So, there would be no rushing or pushing through with sloppy technique, definitely no reps over form. I was looking for a happy song that would help you rather than hurt you while working with kettlebells. And I found it! The universe gave me…. “HAPPY”, the Pharrell Williams song that was released in 2013 and featured on the soundtrack of Despicable Me 2.

Here’s the workout I designed to go with the song, AKA The Happy Challenge:

Start off with double kettlebells in the rack position. This is your basic position throughout the song.

Each time you hear the word “Happy,” you perform a military press on one side. Alternate sides with each “Happy.”

No need to rush. The “Happy” part (including “clap along…”) allows plenty of time to press your kettlebell up and bring it back down to rack. That’s the beauty of the song!

Between the presses, maintain the basic position (double kettlebells in the rack position) solid and strong. At Trainingscentrum Helena, we also call this double kettlebell rack position the Trojan Pose.

At the song’s bridge, Pharrell sings “Bring me down”. When you hear this part, perform a double kettlebell front squat. This will come to eight squats in the first bridge and four more during the second.

At the end of the song (in just under four minutes) you will have done 24 military presses (12 on each side), 12 squats and a lot of static rack holds. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Give it go and let me know what you think in the comments below!

P.S. In my classes, I give my clients the option to switch to push-presses if they lose form on their military presses. If they fail a press entirely during the workout, I’ll tell them to put the kettlebells down and continue with “imaginary” heavy kettlebells.

 

 ***

Suzanne Bos-Betlem is a PCC, RKC and Trojan Workout certified trainer in Haarlem, The Netherlands. In addition to bodyweight and kettlebell training, she is an enthusiastic Krav Maga practitioner and yoga-lover.

Get out of Your Kettlebell Rut with These Partner and Group Exercises

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Laurel Blackburn Kettlebell Partner Workouts

I started my fitness business, Boot Camp Fitness and Training in 2005, and I started Tallahassee Kettlebells shortly after my RKC 1 in 2009.

In that time, I have amassed many individual, partner, and group workouts. I still have the notebooks and binders full of workouts and exercises that I have used over the years. Even with these valuable resources, I still like to come up with new exercises or new ways to do old favorites. One of the things that keep my clients coming back year after year is the variety in our workouts.

In my experience, providing a variety of exercises and movements give my clients the results they want. Whether or not they come for fat loss, muscle gain, or to improve performance, movement, and health, the varied workouts and exercises we do fit the bill.

One of the things I pride myself on is creativity—I am very creative. Ask me for percentages or any other math and I’m going to look at you as if you were speaking Latin. But, give me a block of concrete and I’ll come up with ten different exercises.

Give me a pair of kettlebells and the possibilities are endless.

I’m sure many—or even most of you have your go-to exercises and workouts, too. I occasionally find myself going back to the same workouts and getting in a bit of a rut.

There is nothing wrong with the basics. You and your clients should be proficient with the basics like the deadlift, squat, and press variations before you get all fancy. You and your clients should also have good movement patterns and mobility before you start getting too crazy adding new things to our programs. Remember, everything is built on the basics.

In the video at the end of this post, I give you several partner workouts you can use in circuit training with a group or an entire class. Use these exercises to jump start your own creativity. You can add movements, change the reps, add a timer, do ladders or anything else you can come up with.

Partner Workout #1

Swing, Squat, and Pass

Partner A does one swing, one squat, and then uses a rotation pass to hand the kettlebell to partner B. Keep the abs tight!

Variations:

  1. Add a rep to the swings and squats up to ten and back down to one.
  2. Each person does a set number of reps before passing the kettlebell to their partner.
  3. Set a timer, and each partner goes for a set amount of time before passing the kettlebell.
  4. Add different movements each round for a chain. Example:
  • one swing, pass kettlebell
  • one swing, one squat, pass kettlebell
  • one swing, one squat, one two-hand press, pass kettlebell

Partner Workout # 2

Pullover, Triceps Extension, and Pass

  1. Add reps each round
  2. Add a one arm chest press before the pullover. Make sure to switch sides at the start of the next round. It will look like this: Partner one does chest press or presses on the right, five pullovers and five triceps extensions and pass the kettlebell. Partner does the same. Next round partner one starts with a chest press or presses on the left side.

Partner Workout # 3

Renegade Lunges

  1. Do a forward lunge first before the reverse lunge pass.
  2. Add reps to each set.
  3. Partner on does a set amount of forward and reverse lunges before the kettlebell is passed.
  4. Use different holds for the kettlebell such as racked or overhead before the pass.

Get creative and use these few exercise as a platform to come up with some new stuff for your and your clients.

 

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Senior RKC, Laurel Blackburn owns Boot Camp Fitness and Training and Tallahassee Kettlebells.  Look for Laurel at www.bootcampstogo.com or www.tallahasseekettlebells.com.

In her early fifties, Laurel is out to prove that age is just a number. Her goal is to motivate and inspire people everywhere, both young and old that strength, flexibility and mobility can get better with age. Follow her adventures on her blog: www.SuperStrongNana.com.

Programming the TGU

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Programming the TGU by Jason Kapnick

“What sets and reps should I use to make progress on my TGU?”

This is one of the most common questions about programming kettlebell training. Finding the right scheme of sets and reps is especially challenging because the get-up doesn’t follow the same rules as any other exercise in the gym. Because a single repetition of the TGU can take roughly 30-seconds, doing “5 sets of 10” simply doesn’t make sense.

Below are a few of the strategies that I’ve found to be effective for adding the TGU into your strength training program.

1. The “3-Week Wave Cycle”

This first option is intended for intermediate to advanced kettlebell lifters, and it’s my favorite way to use the get-up as a “main lift.” In other words, this option will treat the TGU as a primary exercise. Make sure that you’re relatively fresh in your workout (I would recommend doing get-ups first), leave plenty of time, and don’t plan to do an excessive amount of assistance work afterwards. Simply put, this progression WILL produce PRs.

TGU with partner spotting

Do get-ups once per week, according to the following loading scheme:

  • Week 1 “Volume Accumulation”: 8-12 get-ups with a medium weight (a good rule of thumb is 60-70% of your best-ever TGU).
  • Week 2 “Weight Ladders”: Choose three kettlebells, a light kettlebell, a medium-heavy kettlebell (similar or slightly heavier than week 1), and a heavy kettlebell (not quite your personal best). The kettlebells should be evenly spaced about 4-8kg apart (12-16-20, or 24-32-40, for example).Perform 3 rounds of 1 TGU on each side, first with the light kettlebell, then with the medium, and finally with the heavy kettlebell. The idea is that the heavy kettlebell will show you where your technique needs work, then the light kettlebell will allow you to practice and correct technique errors or inefficiencies. The “wavy” load is also useful for learning.
  • Week 3 “Run the Rack”: On this day, you’ll start with a very light kettlebell, perform a TGU on each side, and keep working up to progressively heavier kettlebells. Once you’ve reached the heaviest kettlebell you can manage for that day (which may or may not be a personal best), work with it for a few sets. Then perform a few slightly lighter get-ups to cleanse your palate. The total number of get-ups per side for the entire workout should be 8-10.
  • Week 4: Either start at Week 1 (trying to exceed either the previous weight or number of reps from last time), or take a light week to recover.

Heavy kettlebell TGU

Here’s an example of how this program might look over a few months. In this example, the athlete’s previous personal record for the TGU is a 40kg kettlebell:

  1. 32kg x 8 reps per arm
  2. (28-32-36) x 3 cycles; 9 total get-ups per arm
    3. 16×1, 20×1, 24×1, 28×1, 32×1, 36×1, 40x1x2, 32×1
  3. 32kg x 9 reps per arm; Note that this is more than the 8 reps in week 1
    5. (28-32-36) x 3 cycles; a chance to drill technique
  4. 16×1, 20×1, 24×1, 28×1, 32×1, 36×1, 40x1x3, 32×1; On this day he manages one more rep at 40kg vs. the prior week.
  5. Rest week
  6. 32kg x 10 reps per arm; Note that this is more than the 9 reps in week 4
  7. (24-32-40) x 3 cycles; Today he feels strong and increases the top set from 36kg to 40kg, but drops the weight on light and medium bells such that he can still complete the workout comfortably.
  8. 16×1, 20×1, 24×1, 28×1, 32×1, 36×1, 40×1, 44×1 PR!, 36kgx1 32×1;Today, he sets a new personal record before dropping down!

2. The TGU as a Warm-Up

Simply perform 3-5 get-ups with a light-medium kettlebell (~50% of your best-ever get-up) before your scheduled workout. This is a great option if you’re working on a more involved bodyweight or barbell program, and don’t have the bandwidth or desire to fit a lot of get-ups into your program. This option also emphasizes the idea that the get-up is not just training, but also assessment.

A note on the get-up as assessment: While we use the TGU as a stimulus for adaptation, the TGU also has a useful role as a form of assessment. By mindfully practicing the get-up and noticing where the challenges are and how they evolve, you can gain important insights into the quality of your movement. For example, if I’m in a heavy powerlifting cycle involving high-volume bench pressing, and the “low sweep” of my get-up starts becoming challenged, I might conclude that my pectoral muscles have become tight, and that I need to spend some time mobilizing my overhead position.

TGU in group fitness

3. 10-15 Minute Practice Blocks

Simply set a timer for 10-15 minutes and practice the TGU until the time is up.

This is our preferred way to teach the get-up to novices in a personal training or semi-private training scenario. While this program works great for those working with a coach or trainer, it’s also an excellent option for self-coached kettlebell lifters. When learning, it can be useful to remove the pressure of hitting a certain weight or number of reps, and let the athlete simply explore the movement and work on technique. We usually program this towards the end of a training session.

TGU partner spotting

4. 10-15 Minute Work Capacity Blocks

This option uses exactly the same parameters are #3, except with a different purpose. Now, the goal is to perform as many get-ups as possible within the time interval, while never sacrificing quality for quantity. Record your results, and look to improve each week. This is a great option for losing weight while also improving movement quality, or for conditioning and building work-capacity.

An appropriate weight for this option is anywhere from 50-75% of your best get-up.

 

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

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

 

***

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.

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.

****

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/

 

 

How to Keep Training When Life Gets in the Way

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Phil Ross Master RKC One Hand Handstand

Other than the excuse of “I don’t have the money to train”, the other top excuse for not exercising is “I don’t have time”. The money issue is usually more a question of priorities. At my gym, it costs about five dollars a day to join my classes. That’s not much when it seems like many people spend $3 to $5 on their morning coffee, $10-15 on lunch and waste even more on other frivolous expenditures. If it still isn’t in the budget, people can always work out at home with books like Convict Conditioning, Survival Strong, or Master the Kettlebell for a small one-time investment. But, budgeting to join a class could be as easy as packing your lunch and making your own coffee. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ve been almost penniless—twice—and never stopped training. Excuses are like armpits, everyone has them and they all stink! But, my focus for this post isn’t savings, it’s time allocation.

“No time, no time, no time…” That’s no excuse. Make time! It doesn’t take much. Pick an activity and do it for one hour, three times a week. Do something else for 20 to 30 minutes a day on your “off days”. If you still can’t manage one hour, three times a week, start by doing this little workout to get your juices flowing—all you need is 30 minutes, a floor and a $10 jump rope:

The goal is 1000 jump rope skips (200 per round for 5 sets), 100 push-ups (25 per round for 4 sets) and 120 abdominals (30 per round for 4 sets). Here’s the order: jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope. End the workout with planks, bridges and stretching.

With kettlebells, you can do a 12 or 20 minute Tabata interval sequence. Pick 3 to 5 exercises, and set your interval timer for 20 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest and hit it! Your heart rate will rise and you’ll be sweating in no time! For example, you could pick three exercises like double kettlebell swings, double kettlebell front squats and double kettlebell presses. If you pick five exercises you might add double kettlebell rows and cleans. There are endless combinations. Pick a few that work well together. A bodyweight exercise only version could be burpees, push-ups and abs. End the workout with bridges and stretch out. There are endless possibilities.

Here’s a real life example of how I kept training in a very busy time…

It was crunch time. I had less than three weeks before the photo shoot for my upcoming book with Marty Gallagher, Ferocious Fitness. I needed to be in peak condition, so missing my training was out of the question. My training had been going according to schedule, but then life happened—as it often does—when you own a business, are a parent, a spouse, have older parents, and have dogs, too.

Right before noon, I got a call from my six year old daughter’s school. She was sick and needed to come home. Since my wife was at her job 40 miles away from home, I also needed to take my daughter to the doctor. I told my blue belts what to cover in our noon Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class, and I was out the door.

The first available doctor’s appointment was 2PM, and it was already 12:22 by the time I picked up my little one. After I situated her on the couch at home, I had 1 hour and 38 minutes to workout, eat, shower and get her to the doctor. Game on!

I went into the garage and hit it. I started with the 5 Geometric Bando forms (Point, Square, Cross, T and the Line), three times each. Then I did a nonstop circuit with Neuro-Grip push-ups and kettlebells. I did four sets of the Neuro-Grip push-ups and three sets of the other exercises:

  • 25 Neuro-Grip push-ups
  • 10 hand to hand kettlebell swings
  • Table top push-downs, 10 seconds, 6 reps
  • Single kettlebell front squats, 5 reps each side
  • WOD-QB roller: 5 seconds out and back, 5 reps to the center and each side
  • Single kettlebell high pulls, 8 each side
  • 4 way neck, 10 seconds dynamic tension in each direction
  • Single kettlebell rows, 8 each side

I ended the workout with 5 sets of uneven kettlebell shrugs (20 reps per set). 
Since I didn’t have time for a “real” lunch, I made a shake with a banana, a splash of OJ, water, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and egg white protein powder—then chugged it. I took the next 7 minutes to shower, get dressed and get in the car. (I’m glad I’m bald at times like this!) At 1:45PM we were off to the doctor’s office, and made it on time. It even worked out that we were able to pick up her prescription, and drop her off at home with the sitter by 3:15PM. I had plenty of time to teach my 4PM kettlebell class, and since my wife got home from work early, I was able to teach my classes through 9PM.

I could have easily bypassed the workout and no one would have thought less of me—except for me! My point is that these scenarios happen fairly often. A sick child, a parent who needs help, a dog eating the carpet, network problems at the studio… Life happens, but if you roll with the punches, you can still fit in your workout. You can do it!

Strength and Honor,

Coach Phil

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

The Clean Viking Salute, a New Spin on a Kettlebell Classic

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Ryan Jankowitz Kettlebell Clean Viking Salute

As a kettlebell instructor, I love performing kettlebell complexes and chains. I also enjoy putting my clients through complexes and chains—though they may not love them as much as I do.

Complexes and chains allow you to string several movements together without putting the kettlebell down. Complexes and chains create a very time efficient, heart-pumping workout that hits many different movement patterns. Not only do we train several different movement patterns, but we are also able to explore the “time under tension” concept. The more time we spend holding tension, the stronger we become.

With that being said, I want to share one of my favorite chains. Gus Petersen’s “Viking Salute Workouts”, from the RKC Book of Strength and Conditioning, inspired this chain.

Gus Petersen’s Viking Salute Chain:

  • Snatch x 1
  • Overhead Lunge x 1
  • ½ Kneeling Press x 1
  • Overhead Lunge back to standing x 1
  • Repeat

If you have not read the RKC Book of Strength and Conditioning, I highly recommend you pick it up. It contains some really great programs and workouts that will spice up your training.

Gus Petersen’s “Viking Salute Workout” is great for intermediate to advanced kettlebell practitioners, but what about beginners?

My variation may work very well for those new to kettlebells, or instructors working with beginner clients. Instead of performing a snatch to start the chain, we begin with a clean.

Here’s the Clean Viking Salute chain:

  • Clean x 1
  • Rack Lunge x 1
  • ½ Kneeling Press x 1
  • Rack Lunge back to standing x 1
  • Repeat

I have used this chain successfully with individual clients and classes alike. With this chain, we explore a pull, hinge, lunge and vertical push all within one workout. I usually have my clients perform 5 reps on each side and anywhere from 3-5 sets in a training session.

Feel free to get creative with this chain and turn it into a complex or even add some rack carries. Give this workout a whirl and let me know what you think.

Stay Strong.

****

Ryan Jankowitz, RKC-II Instructor, CK-FMS, is a life-long athlete who can’t imagine sitting behind a desk. He enjoys sharing his passion for fitness and spreading the RKC knowledge. Ryan operates a remote fitness coaching service and is available for private kettlebell workshops as well. You can reach him at ryan@rjkettlebell.com or through his website rjkettlebell.com. He also works with clients and teaches kettlebell classes at Fitness on the Run in Alexandria, Virginia. If you’re in the area, visit fitnessontherun.net and come swing some bells with Ryan.

Five 5s: Five Simple, Effective, Nourishing Kettlebell Workouts

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Nick Lynch Group Workout Kettlebell Jerks

Sometimes, I just want to do a quick workout and either can’t or don’t want to spend an hour to do it. That’s why I put together this series of efficient kettlebell workouts which can be done in a short amount of time with minimal equipment (a kettlebell, the floor, rings and a pull-up bar of some type). These workouts are also simple to modify. If you DO have an hour in the gym, you can simply multiply your sets. As you’re reading, I invite you to take note of any questions you may have and ask them in the comments section below this blog post. I’m more than happy to do my best when answering them. I hope you enjoy these programs as much as we do in Milwaukee!

1: “The Zen of Zane”

Frank Zane used to train chest, triceps and shoulders in one day. Compared to how his competition was training, his approach was totally bizarre. His competition was training opposing muscle groups such as chest and biceps. Frank was known for his amazing symmetry and muscularity. With a daily dose of this workout, I think you might start to look and feel like Frank Zane!

Set a timer for five minutes and repeat the following sequence of exercises until five minutes has passed.

  • 5 push presses per side
  • 5 pull-ups
  • 5-10 push-ups
  • 30 seconds break
  • 1 push-up
  • 1 push press per side
  • 1 pull-up
  • 5 push presses per side
  • 5 pull-ups
  • 5-10 push-ups
  • 30 seconds break

Modification
Trade reps for seconds. For example, instead of 10 pull ups, perform a 10-seconds flex arm hang.

2: “My Favorite”

This workout is my personal favorite, let’s see what you think!

Set a timer for eight minutes, complete at least four full sets of the following:

Modifications
Option one: try putting your feet a raised platform for extra stability. Option two: perform bench dips instead of ring dips. Option three: forming a triangle with your hands, and perform 5 push-ups, be sure to use the entire range of motion, bringing your sternum down to your hands.

3: “Lungs of Hell”

The name of this workout is a tribute to the classic Megadeth song which I think also sounds great played loud along with this workout…

Set a timer for five minutes, and perform the following sequence safely for time:

Perform a get-up to standing, do 5 overhead lunges, 5 push presses, 5 squats, then 5 snatches. Keeping the kettlebell overhead finish the get-up and return to the floor. Switch sides, resting as needed.

Modifications:
Option one, reduce your reps to three. Option two, reduce the size of the kettlebell you’re using. Option three, reduce your reps to one.

4: “Speak To Me/Breathe”

Pink Floyd begins their infamous albums, Dark Side of the Moon with “Speak To Me” which leads right into “Breathe.” I think this is funny because this could also describe the breathing techniques we teach and use in the RKC community. There’s the classic hiss during the swing and goblet squat “hoooop” grunt. You’ll need to focus on your vocalizing your breaths to keep up with these reps. The end result is amazing lung capacity, strong legs, bullet-proof abs, and grip strength that won’t quit!

Set a timer for 8 minutes with the goal of completing 4 rounds of the following:

  • 10 goblet squats
  • 25 swings
  • rest
  • 5 goblet squats
  • 25 swings
  • rest

Use a HEAVY kettlebell.

Modifications
Option one: use a lighter kettlebell. Option two: reduce overall reps. Option three: perform bodyweight squats and vertical jumps instead of goblet squats and swings.

5: “Look Alive”

Coordination and attention to detail make this last workout effective and nourishing. It’s challenging and fun at the same time because you must focus on every rep for the entire five minutes.

Set a timer for five minutes. Repeat the following sequence for a total of five sets. If you finish early, take a short active-rest break and, a swig of water and continue until the end of five minutes.

  • 5 push-ups
  • 5 partial jumps (please refer to video for the technique)
  • 5 swings

These five simple but scalable workouts produce results even when time is limited. I invite you to share your experience after trying one or all of the Five-5s. Feel free to have fun and modify them to fit your needs.

Enjoy and until next time, have a most excellent day!
Nick Lynch, RKC Team Leader

Nick Lynch Five Five

***

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.