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© 2011. Dragon Gym Legacy Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.dragongym.com/ebooks.htm The Dragon Gym and Chronicles Of Strength Presents INTRODUCTION TO KETTLEBELL & BARBELL TRAINING “ Build a physique to withstand all odds and be free from ailments as far as  practicable”  

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    The Dragon Gym and Chronicles Of Strength Presents

    INTRODUCTION TO KETTLEBELL &BARBELL TRAINING

    Build aphysique to withstand all odds

    and befree from ailments as far as

    practicable

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    DRAGON GYM MARTIAL ARTS ANDFITNESS

    www.dragongym.com,www.chroniclesofstrength.com

    INTRODUCTION TO KETTLEBELL &BARBELL TRAINING

    2011 by Dragon Gym Legacy Inc, All Rights

    Reserved Worldwide.

    This publication is for personal use only and may notbe copied or distributed without prior writtenpermission.

    Limits of Liability and Disclaimer:

    The authors and publishers of this book have madetheir best efforts to ensure that the informationprovided in this publication is accurate and assume noresponsibility for errors or omissions. Additionally,

    you should use this information as you see fit andentirely at your own risk.

    Lastly, use common sense and good judgment.Nothing in this publication is intended to replacecommon sense, legal, medical or other professionaladvice and is meant only to inform and entertain thereader.

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    Dragon Gym Martial Arts & Fitness and theAuthors recommend the following resources:

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    Strength Secrets of the Soviet Supermen

    By Pavel Tsatsouline

    200 pages.

    Super Joints

    Russian Longevity Secrets for Pain-Free Movement, Maximum Mobility & FlexibleStrength

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    Relax into Stretch

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    With Pavel Tsatsouline150 pages.

    Dragon Door Kettlebells

    Without your body, you are nothing invest wisely when it comes to yourmost precious asset!

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    Part 1: Introduction and What to Expect

    Who is Pat Flynn RKC ?

    A quick history

    I grew up a pretty fat kid.

    I am no longer a fat kid.

    I changed my life not only through discipline and diligence, but also through

    continued education. I learned how to manipulate my body, through

    experimentation and by first learning how it works. You see, if you can understand a

    system of fixed and variable inputs, and you have the ability to manage thosevariable inputs, then you will inherently have at least some control over the output.

    The human body is just that; it is a system of fixed and variable inputs. The fixed

    inputs include things that in our current time we cannot alter, such as genetics, sex,

    etc. The variable inputs however, we do have control over. They are what we do and

    what we eat. All of this contributes to the output, which is our overall wellbeing,

    appearance, and performance. Through my experience, I have concluded that the

    variable inputs have a far more profound effect on the output, than the fixed inputs

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    do. Sure, we may be somewhat limited by our genetics, but only to a certain extent.

    Everybody has the ability to maximize his or her genetic potential, whether he or

    she chooses to do so is up to him or her.

    Also, make a strong mental note of the following conclusion:

    Nothing can take the place of persistence. Commitment to even a shitty program will

    often yield better results, than somebody who is only partly committed to a very

    good program.

    I have worked with all walks of life, including various college level and high school

    athletes, ABA basketball players, martial artists, stay at home moms, geriatrics,

    people who are disabled either physically or mentally, and hundreds of normal,

    everyday people who just want to improve the quality of their life. I do personal

    training, group fitness classes, athletic enhancement, workshops and clinics, and

    even have given a few lectures. And what have I learned from working with such a

    diverse group of individuals in such a variety of manners? Absolutely everything,but at the same time absolutely nothing.

    What I have also come to realize is that each and every person is incredibly unique

    (even more so than your own mother would tell you), and that there is no one

    single, cookie-cutter approach that can be taken to every new person I work with.

    But while each and every persons own personal goals are also unique; they can all

    essentially be boiled down to one of two things;

    Improving their self-esteem and/or quality of life.

    Well it makes sense doesnt it?

    Why do we work out? Why do we train? To lose weight, to gain muscle, to get

    stronger, to enhance our athletic abilities, and so on and so forth. Ive just about

    heard it all. But what people really desire, when you get down to the root of it, is

    increased self-esteem and an improved quality of life. Can you really argue against

    that? I cant.People want to look better and perform better, because it makes them

    feelbetter about themselves.

    Everyday I help somebody reach a goal. I have designed hundreds of programs,

    ranging from bodybuilding regimens, to strongman protocols, to marathon and

    triathlon training, to periodized sports specific and athletic enhancement programs.

    I get just as much joy and satisfaction from helping someone be able to move freely

    and without pain again, as I do from having a client reach a weight loss goal, or

    watching an athlete that I have worked with dominate the competition. Helping

    someone reach a goal is an incredibly rewarding experience for me, and is why I

    love to do what I do.

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    So what is it that I have to offer you with this book? You took the time to purchase it,

    and since I value your time, I have no intention to waste any of it. So, lets get right to

    it shall we?

    What I have to offer are solutions, because thats really what your looking for

    isnt it? Think about this

    You dont really buy a product or a service do you? The truth is, you are purchasing

    a solution. When you buy a drill, you arent really paying for a drill you are paying

    for holes! So when you hire a personal trainer, you really arent paying for their

    services, rather you are paying for a body that is leaner, healthier, more muscular,

    etc.

    This book offers solutions. Is your problem weight loss? This book offers a solution

    to that. Or maybe your problem lies within unrealized sports performance

    potential? Well, this book offers a solution for that. Perhaps you are having a hard

    time putting on muscle mass? The solution for that is also found in this book.

    You have a problem and I have the solution.

    Thank you for purchasing this book, and enjoy!

    Who Is Somnath Sikdar RKC?

    Working with Master Somnath Sikdar at Dragon Gym has been an absolute life

    changing experience. I first met Som when he began coaching my university Tae

    Kwon Do Team. He quickly introduced me to kettlebells and the RKC school of

    strength. I have worked with many different instructors and trainers in the past, yet

    none have inspired me or helped me reach my full potential like training with Som

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    has. He has an incredibly deep understanding of martial arts, fitness, and self

    discipline, but the most important, which truly makes him one of the most

    outstanding professionals I have ever worked with, is his patience. Som takes the

    extra time, and goes out of his way to make sure you understand and that you

    succeed. It was by training under Som, that i was able to obtain my RKC, and without

    his help, I really doubt I would have ever done that. I can not recommend hisservices enough, if you ever have the chance to work with Master Sikdar, take it

    immediately!

    Master Somnath Sikdar is the Head Instructor at the Dragon Gym and has been

    training in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido for 25 years. He is currently a Fifth degree

    black belt and is certified by the World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon). His

    training has covered a broad spectrum of martial arts to include a variety of

    weapons, self-defense, traditional and sport Tae Kwon Do. He has also studied

    Hapkido under Grandmaster Han Jae Ji. In conjunction with martial arts, he has

    been studying and training with the Russian Kettlebell, and currently holds the

    Level 1 RKC Certification.

    Master Sikdar has competed successfully in local, state, and collegiate tournaments.

    In addition, he continues to study western boxing, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

    He has attained a BSE in Electrical Engineering, along with minors in Systems

    Science and Economics, from the University of Pennsylvania. While completing this

    degree he was the President, Head Instructor, and Coach of the University of

    Pennsylvania WTF Tae Kwon Do Team.

    Master Sikdar still coaches competitive Taekwondo athletes and is an active advisor

    to the UPENN WTFTKD Team and the West Chester University Taekwondo Team.

    What is covered in this Book?

    Through my research, people generally want one of, or a combination of four things

    out of their fitness regimen.

    1. Lose weight (preferably bodyfat)2. Put on muscle mass (preferably lean muscle mass)3. Get Stronger4. Improve Athleticism

    In this book, I will introduce you to the tools you will need in order to obtain the

    results you want. I will offer to you a variety of options as to how to implement anduse those tools effectively, so that you get what you want, in the least amount of

    time possible.

    The tools are exercises/movements. There will be a vast amount of exercise

    tutorials in this book including, but not limited to kettlebell training, conventional

    barbell lifts, Olympic lifts, bodyweight exercises, plyometrics, and more. You must

    first understand how each tool works, before you try to use it. What good is a

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    hammer if you hold it upside down? I will do my very best (and I happen to be very

    good at what I do) to explain to you exactly how to perform each movement safely

    and effectively, and the purpose/benefits of doing so.

    The second part of this book is about implementation. How will you use the tools

    that you have learned in the first part to get stronger, get leaner, increaseathleticism, put on muscle mass, or a combination of all the above. I will present to

    you a variety options for program design to help you reach your goals as quickly and

    effectively as possible.

    TANSTAAFL and the Three Forms of Selfishness

    (tan-staff-uhl)

    There is no such thing as a free lunch.

    Remember this.

    Never, ever forget it.

    If you want something, then you have to work for it. I can only show you the path,

    but ultimately, you are the one that has to walk it. Youhave to put in the time and

    the effort. I can teach you what you need to know in order to reach your goals, but

    such knowledge is useless without a strong sense of intrinsic motivation. You have

    to want it. You have to chase it. And you have to commit to it.

    There are, however, three things that I simply cannot teach you; which are

    undeniably crucial to your success. I can only make you aware of them. I am talkingabout learning to be selfish. Let us consider the three most important forms forms

    of selfishness.

    1. Self Discipline Self-discipline is about doing. Sometimes it may be doing what

    you want to do, but more often, it is doing what you do not want to do. Self-

    discipline is about putting in the work needed to achieve a certain output, and

    continuing to do so until you have accomplished what you set out to achieve. I

    cannot teach you self-discipline.

    2. Self-Control Self-control is about notdoing. It is about restraint. Self-control is

    resistance to temptation. Self-control is not putting that warm, moist piece ofchocolate cake into your mouth. Self-discipline and self-control must work hand in

    hand to ensure success. I cannot teach you self-control.

    3. Self-respect Self-respect is about caring. Caring about yourself, and respecting

    your mind and body enough, to want to take care of the vessel in which you reside. I

    cannot teach you self-respect.

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    Pat 1: What is Strength? What is Power?

    Without getting overly technical, strength is simply the ability for our muscles to

    generate internal tension.

    For our purposes we are concerned with three types of strength.

    The first is muscular endurance. Muscular endurance is when you perform some sort

    of pushing, pulling, or pressing movement for multiple repetitions. An example of a

    muscular endurance activity would be performing as many push-ups or pull-ups as

    you can possibly do, so long as the load is sub-maximal. If the load is maximal or

    above that, like in the case that you are unable to perform a single pull up, then the

    movement is no longer about muscular endurance, but rather maximal strength.

    The second is maximal strength. Maximal strength or true muscular strength, again

    involves a pushing, pulling, or pressing movement of a maximum load. It is all about

    just how much force can you exert for one rep or how much weight you can move

    just one time. An example would be a one rep max squat, bench, or dead lift.

    The third type of strength we are concerned with is static strengthor isometric

    contractions. An example of this type of strength would be holding a plank position,

    or the top of a chin up. The muscles are forcefully contracted and internal tension is

    generated, but there is no change in a joint angle.

    Are strength and size related?

    It is a fallacy that strength and size are related. You do not have to be big to be

    strong, and just because you are big, does not mean you are strong. Strength is more

    of a neurological adaptation, then a morphological one. What this means is that

    strength is a skill acquired through practice, and not necessarily from the result ofputting on muscle mass. The key to getting stronger is to program yourself to

    become more efficient at certain movements. In this book we will differentiate

    training for strength and training for hypertrophy (muscle growth), because if you

    truly want to become stronger without putting on bulk, then the last thing you want

    to do is be training like a bodybuilder! It is true however, that after time, the

    neurological adaptations of strength gains will often attribute to an increased size of

    muscle fibers, as well as possible anatomical changes in connective tissues. But fear

    not ladies! These changes will not make you appear bulky or herculean, but rather

    toned and defined.

    What is Power

    The definition of power is force over time. So logically, power is the ability to

    generate as much force in as little time as possible. It is important to difference

    strength and power. Strength does not have a time element, but power does. It may

    help to think of power as speedy strength. Power movements include swinging a

    baseball bat, snatching a barbell overhead, a slap shot, a high jump, etc. It is

    important, not only for athletes, but for everybody to train both strength and power.

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    Power movements have additional benefits that are often left out of most strength

    training routines, including increased strength gains, caloric expenditure, and

    metabolic conditioning.

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    Part Two: Other Things to Consider Before GettingStarted

    The Law of Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands and the Overload

    Principle

    The law of adaptations to imposed demands states that our body will adapt to the

    rigors and stressors put upon it. The overload principle is all about pushing harder,

    so that our body will adapt to the increased load, volume, density, intensity, etc. We

    want to elicit an adaptation, because it is through these adaptations that we become

    stronger, leaner, and more powerful. If we do not adequately stress ourselves, then

    our body has no need to change. So no bullshit, and no fluff here. If you want results,

    you will have to continuously push yourself, in a smart manner of course.

    Overtraining

    On the other end of the spectrum is overtraining. Overtraining is a prolonged

    phenomenon. It occurs when the body is not sufficiently recovering for long enough

    periods of time. Really, all it means is that you are pushing yourself too hard for too

    long. Now, controlled periods of overtraining, also known as overreaching, can be

    quite beneficial if properly planned. But truly prolonged periods of overtraining are

    actually quite counterproductive and can lead to more problems down the road.

    Signs of overtraining include but are not limited to:

    1. An elevated resting heart rate. Here is a test you can use. When you are sureyou are fully recovered and not overtraining, take your pulse upon waking

    one morning, assuming you are not startled. This will serve as your baseline

    resting heart rate upon waking. A good indicator of overtraining, is if your

    pulse is elevated anymore than 7 beats per minute above this baseline.

    2. Low Libido. Overtraining can actually lead to a lower level of testosterone. Soif your sex drive suddenly plummets, it may be time to taper off.

    3. Weight Gain4. Feelings of depression and anxiousness5. Restlessness and trouble sleeping

    As you can see, prolonged periods of overtraining can be quite serious. So be sure to

    carefully monitor for signs of overtraining, and to taper off and rest up when

    necessary. The best thing you can do for yourself is always listen to your body.

    Remember that a good program is like a flexible budget, it outlines and plans your

    long-term goals and strategies, but must be able to flex to accommodate certainfluctuations in life.

    The Law of Specificity

    In the RKC community, we are big fans of the law of specificity. All this states is that

    in order to get good at something, you have to do that something! If you want to

    improve your squat, then you have to squat. If you want to get better at golf, then

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    you have to golf. Sounds pretty logical doesnt it? But there is a little more to it.

    Obviously you cant squat your max load everyday, youd probably end up seriously

    injured or kill yourself. So what we must take into consideration is specialized

    variety and tactical periodization. What you want to do, is make your training,

    specific to your training goals, but also consider the fluctuation of certain variables

    such as intensity, density, frequency, and volume. It sounds almost like anoxymoron, but you want to vary your specificity. Um what? Just bear with me for a

    minute here. Lets take the back squat for example. Say you want to improve your

    back squat numbers. Well obviously you want to focus on training a lot of knee

    dominant squatting movements. But what weight should you choose, and how many

    days a weeks should you squat? Weight is a variable(intensity), and so is how many

    days a week you squat(frequency). Also, how many sets and reps should you be

    performing (volume and density)? All of these must be taken into consideration

    when developing a tactical and periodized program. As for specialized variety, all

    that means is performing subtle variations that compliment your training goals. For

    example, a front squat would be a subtle but complimentary variation to your back

    squat. Perhaps you want to improve your kettlebell military press numbers. Wellinstead of doing strict military presses everyday, somedays you may wish to

    substitute in long push presses, or even bent presses, as some specialized variety.

    Variety is the spice of life, remember that, but also be sure not to stray far off from

    what you are trying to achieve.

    What The Hell Is With All This Functional Strength Nonsense?

    Im going to put this to you all as delicately as I can. Standing with one leg, on a bosu

    ball, performing a single arm bicep curl, is NOT functional strength training.

    Functional training has become so distorted and clich in the past decade, that I

    almost go out of my way to avoid using the term functional, because I simply donot wish to be associated with most of the trainers that promote themselves as

    functional fitness experts.

    For example, a few years ago, a new client walked into my kettlebell class with a

    bosu ball. He told me that he uses a bosu ball in all fitness classes hes ever taken, so

    that he gets more of a functional workout. Im going to tell you exactly what I told

    him.

    Who the hell ever decided that training on a wobbly, unstable surface is functional.

    When, do we as humans, ever have to operate or perform on such an unstable

    surface? I can think of almost no time ever where this is the case. Sure, there is

    core recruitment for doing such a ridiculous thing, as well as proprioceptivebenefits, but you can obtain the same benefits elsewhere and in half the time. My

    point being, that we as humans, rarely perform on unstable surfaces. Uneven

    perhaps, but mostly we perform on stable surfaces, but have to handle unstable

    loads!

    I apologize for my tangent, but the notion of functional fitness today is absurd. True

    functional fitness is really only one thing, and that is smart training!

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    Ill let you in on a little secret

    How would you like to know the most functional exercise of all time?

    Guess what, its the freaking deadlift!

    Thats right, what other movement is more comprehensive and functional then thedeadlift. Everyday you pick shit off the floor, so why not learn to do it right! Yet,

    rarely will you ever see a functional fitness expert teaching a client how to deadlift.

    Instead they have them looking like a clown, performing movements that have little

    to no benefit and/or carryover to their everyday activities.

    Part Three: Movements

    Human movement occurs in three planes. The frontal plane which involves lateral

    (lateral meaning to the side) movement such as a kettlebell windmill, the sagital

    plane which involves forward and backward movements, and the transverse plane

    which involves movements around your body such as a Russian twist. Do not worryso much about the planes of movement, I just want you to have a basic

    understanding to help comprehend certain exercises later on.

    The Core Eight Movements of a Balanced Program

    Over my years of studies, experience, and working with some of the brightest minds

    in the industry, I feel it is best to brake down exercises into eight simple categories.

    These eight categories are eight different types of movement that make up a

    balanced, effective, and worthwhile fitness program. You must include movements

    from each category into your routines, to ensure maximum results and muscular

    balance. The core eight movements include:

    1. A vertical press a vertical press is any sort of overhead pressing movement,such as a single arm kettlebell military press, or a standing overhead barbell

    press. I like to use the term press for vertical movements, and push for

    horizontal movements for the sake of simple differentiation. A vertical press

    is any movement that moves vertically if you are in a standing position.

    2. A horizontal push A horizontal push, is a movement that would be movinghorizontally if you were in a standing position. For example, the bench press

    is a horizontal pushing movement, only because you are lying down is the

    bar moving in a vertical motion. If it were possible to bench press standing

    up, then you would see how this is a horizontal pushing movement.

    3. A vertical pull a vertical pull, is any sort of pulling movement that movesvertically if you were in a standing position. A classic example of this would

    be the pull up.

    4. A horizontal pull a horizontal pull, is any sort of pulling movement thatmoves horizontally if you were in a standing position. A good example of this,

    would be a bodyweight row, or bent over row.

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    5. A Knee dominant movementA lower body knee dominant movement isprimarily dominated by an extension of the knee joint. Examples of a knee

    dominant movement would be front squats, lunges, pistol squats, etc.

    6. A hip dominant movement A lower body hip dominant movement isprimarily dominated by an extension of the hips. Now please note that a hip

    dominant movement might include knee extension, and a knee dominantmovement might include hip extension (most due), but you must classify the

    movement either by which extension plays the biggest role in completion of

    the movement, or which extension initiates the movement. An example of a

    hip dominant movement would be a kettlebell swing, or a Romanian dead lift.

    7. Explosive movement An explosive movement is a power movement. Theyare all multi-joint compound movements.

    8. Core work (stability, rotational, linear) It is incredibly important to workthe core in three manners. Stability is the sole purpose of your core. It is your

    core that stabilizes your spine and torso. Your core also works as a stabilizer

    and mobilizer for torso rotation, as well as spinal flexion and extension. For a

    strong, functional, and balanced core, you must train all of your cores coreresponsibilities equally.

    Classifying Movements

    My goal here is to give you the biggest bang for your buck exercises, and weed out

    all the unnecessary movements. There are literally hundreds of exercises that I

    could list under each movement category, but it would be both a waste of my time as

    well as yours to try and cover them all. Under each category I will provide what Ifeel to be the most comprehensive and effective movements, all of which are

    inherently multi-joint compound movements with large amounts of neuromuscular

    activation. For example, the kettlebell military press puts the shoulder through a

    greater range of motion and is much more demanding than the tradition shoulder

    press you find most wanna-be meatheads performing with a dumbbell. Sure, you

    could argue that since the shoulder press with a dumbbell covers only a partial

    range of motion as the kettlebell military press, you could therefore move more

    weight, and possibly increase the strength of your kettlebell press. My argument for

    that is that there are much more effective ways to increase your kettlebell military

    pressing strength, than trying to overload with a shoulder press. One example

    would be to do heavy Turkish get ups, or heavy long push presses. Another optionwould be to perform a heavy yielding kettlebell press. I will give you all the tools

    you need to succeed, without any of the noise and confusion of ancillary movements.

    Also note, that some movements may be repeated, because they fit into multiple

    categories. For example, the Viking push press is a vertical press, but it is also an

    explosive movement. The Turkish get up has a knee dominant component(lunge),

    but is also a fantastic core stability movement.

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    One last note: unilateral means that one limb works in isolation of another to move

    a weight. A bilateral movement is when both limbs work together to move a weight.

    Bilateral movements obviously allow for greater strength gains, but since your

    dominant side will typically negotiate more of the weight, performing solely

    bilateral movements can eventually lead to unwanted muscular imbalances.Unilateral movements help to correct weaknesses and muscular imbalances. Every

    workout should include bilateral and unilateral movements. An example of a

    bilateral movement is the front squat, where as the pistol squat is unilateral. An

    overhead barbell press is bilateral, but a double kettlebell military press is actually

    unilateral since you are moving two separate weights, each moving independent of

    each other (two kettlebells instead of one barbell), regardless of whether or not they

    are moving simultaneously or at the same tempo.

    The Core Six Kettlebell Movements

    The Core Six Kettlebell Movements

    The core six kettlebell movements should be the first exercises you learn with a

    kettlebell, and you should be proficient at them all before advancing to any other

    techniques, especially double kettlebell movements.

    They core six movements are:

    1.Kettlebell Swing

    2.Turkish Get Up3.Kettlebell Goblet/Front Squat

    4.Kettlebell Clean

    5.Kettlebell Press

    6.Kettlebell Snatch

    It does not matter which of the first three exercises you learn first, but all of the first

    three of the core six movements (swing, squat, and get up) should be mastered

    before moving onto the last three (clean, press, and snatch). The reason being that

    the first three set the foundation for the last three. If your swing technique is no

    good, then your clean and snatch technique will suck. If your get ups suck, then you

    are not ready for the press. As with anything else, you must learn to walk before youcan run. Spend as much time as you need perfecting your swing, squat, and get up

    before moving onto the clean, press, and snatch.

    The Kettlebell Deadlift

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    Before we get into detail about any of the core six kettlebell movements, we must

    first make sure that we have a proper deadlift. The movement pattern of the deadlift

    must first be established before moving onto the kettlebell swing.

    Start by standing on top of the kettlebell, with your stance approximately shoulder

    width apart or perhaps even a tad wider. Position yourself so that the handle of the

    bell is directly between your heels.

    Now shift all of your weight onto your heels, and begin to push your butt back (as ifyou are reaching for a chair that is just out of reach), and hinge (fold) at the hips. It is

    incredibly important that we maintain a neutral spine throughout this movement. We

    never want to deadlift with a rounded gorilla looking back, so keep your chest up

    and out like you are very proud of yourself, as you push your butt back as far as

    possible. Keep your eyes focused on the horizon, or where the wall meets the floor,

    do not look down because cervical flexion will often lead to flexion throughout the

    rest of your back. You should feel a tight pull/stretch in your hamstrings as you are

    lowering yourself into position; this is desired.

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    Notice that in this position my back is flat (well, there should actually be an arch inyour lower back), my shins are almost perfectly vertical, and my hips are lower than

    my shoulders. My posterior chain is stretched and loaded with tension, like a rubber

    band ready to snap.

    To begin the ascent, forcefully contract your glutes, and visualize that you are trying

    to push the ground apart with your heelsas you begin to drive your hips forward

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    to stand straight up.

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    Now heres a little trick you can use to really help learn how to get your butt back

    and load up your hips. When you reverse the movement to put the bell back down,

    try and place the bell behind your heels; not by swinging or reaching with your

    arms, but rather by pushing your butt back as far as possible. You should really feel

    an incredible stretch in your hamstrings if this is done right. Just be sure that your

    hips stay lower than your shoulders, and you maintain a neutral spine at all times.

    Breathing:

    For each movement, there will be a section to describe the type of breathing you

    should use.

    For the kettlebell deadlift, we want to take in a belly full of air before we begin our

    descent. Breathe in deeply through your nose, trying to inflate your stomach. This

    diaphragmatic breathing will serve as a natural weight belt, and is one of the safest

    and most effective breathing methods for grinding movements. When we execute

    the lift, we want to breathe out through clenched teeth, with the tongue on the roof

    of our mouth. If done properly it should make a hissing sound, and feel very

    pressurized. Dont be shy about this my friends. Hiss away. We want to takeadvantage of this style of breathing to maintain that abdominal pressurization

    which will help to keep our spine safe throughout the lift. Do not exhale all of your

    air. Keep at least 1/3 of your air in your stomach at all times. This type of breathing

    is known as power breathing, remember this because it will reoccur often!

    Elements of a proper deadlift:

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    1. The back is flat (neutral spine)

    2. The heels are planted on the ground

    3. The knees stay in line with the toes, but do not come forward

    4. The arms are straight (triceps are tense) and are simply acting as cables

    connecting the bell to your body5. The shins remain near vertical throughout the movement (minimize any forward

    ankle flexion or translation of the knees forward)

    6. At the top, hips and knees are fully extended, and you are standing tall (do not

    overextend the hips or lean back

    The Kettlebell Swing

    I must stress yet again how important it is that you have a proficient deadlift before

    moving onto the kettlebell swing. All of the qualities that make up a good dead lift,

    such as a neutral spine, deep hip hinge, vertical shins, etc, carry directly over to the

    kettlebell swing. If there is a weakness or flaw in your deadlift form, then you must

    correct it before moving onto the swing. See an RKC instructor if at all possible!

    The kettlebell swing is an explosive movement, whereas the deadlift is a grind. Like I

    said, the movement pattern is essentially the same, but the manner in which the

    movements are performed is completely different.

    The first difference between the deadlift and the swing is the set up. For the swing,

    we do not want to start with the bell behind our heels, but rather we want to

    position the bell about a foot in front of us. Once the bell is in position, we push our

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    butt back and assume a deadlift position, then reach our hands out and grasp the

    bell. If done right, the bell should tilt slightly towards you. Tension should be loaded

    throughout your posterior chain at this point, and you should resemble a center

    about to hike a football back to a quarterback.

    From here, the first step is to engage your lats (back and armpit muscles) to screw

    your shoulders back and down. This is a technique known as packing your

    shoulder, which we will become more familiar with in the Turkish Get Up and

    Kettlebell Press section. Just know that we want to keep our shoulders pulled backand down, and to not let the force of the kettlebell pull our shoulders out at anytime.

    A visualization that may help is to think that you are trying to hold a very thin piece

    of paper in your armpit. As a matter of fact, it wouldnt be a bad drill to even have a

    partner put a piece of paper or a card of some sort in your armpit and see if you can

    hold it there while you perform a couple of swings.

    Screwing our shoulders back should tilt the bell, or even drag it slightly toward you.

    Once this happens we want to immediately hike pass the bell back between our

    legs, like a center hiking a football to a quarterback. Really throw that bell back and

    load up your posterior chain with as much tension as possible. Keep your back flat

    and eyes focused on the horizon as you forcefully throw the kettlebell back behindyou.

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    Think of this backswing as the stretching of a bow. The bow is your posterior chain

    (hamstrings, butt, and lower back muscles), and the arrow is the kettlebell. The

    more tension we can load with the backswing, or the more we stretch the bow, the

    more powerful and explosive our swing will be.

    Once the bell has reached the height of the backswing, and your bow is fully

    loaded with tension, it is time to explode and project the force outward. Squeeze

    your butt as hard as you can, and snap your hips forward as you stand straight up

    (do not lean back or overextend your hips). This will propel the bell forward,

    hopefully with an incredible amount of force. Remember that with the swing we

    want to project the force outward, not upward. Far too often, people swing above

    their chest, this is not only unnecessary, but is actually counterproductive. Swinging

    higher than the chest not only creates a disconnect and will put you into a position

    of compromise, but the bell is now traveling a greater distance, and in turn will

    increase our cycle time, or the total number of reps we get in a certain amount of

    time. When using the swing as a conditioning tool, we want to decrease our cycle

    time, and get as many reps in as possible in the least amount of time. So shoot your

    force forward, like a punch when you swing. The bell should form an extension of

    your straight arms at the top of the swing.

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    Be sure to tighten everything up at the top of the swing, bracing your abs and glutes

    as hard as possible, as well as tensing your quads and pulling your kneecaps up. This

    full body tension will only last less than a second, but is an important skill to acquire

    when learning the kettlebell swing. Remember that explosive movements are about

    both tension and relaxation. Throughout the swing there are elements of tension,

    and elements of relaxation. Too much tension and you will be slow, and too much

    relaxation and you will be soft and weak. You must learn when to be tense, and

    when to be relaxed in order to maximize power, endurance, and strength.

    Never try and slow the bell down as you come back into the backswing. If anything

    speed it up, and help it along its way by actively throwing the bell back into the

    backswing. Be sure that the handle of the bow never passes below the knees when

    swinging, as this will surely lead to a rounded back. Keep your downward swing

    trajectory high, and just move your hips out of the way at the last second to bring

    the bell into another backswing.

    Breathing

    For the kettlebell swing, we want to take advantage of the biomechanical breathingmatch. This implies that we match the breathing to the movement; meaning that we

    take a sharp inhalation through the nose on the backswing, exhale forcefully during

    the concentric or upward portion of the swing. The exhalation should be crisp and

    forceful, much like how a boxer would breathe when throwing or taking a punch.

    Elements of a Proper Swing

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    1. Heels are planted at all times

    2. Knees stay in line with your toes at all times and they do not translate forward

    (maintain vertical shins)

    3. The back is flat (neutral spine)

    4. The handle of the bell never passes below the knees on the backswing5. The force of the swing is projected outward, not necessarily upward

    6. The bell forms an extension of your arms at the top of the swing (if the bell is

    lagging/sagging behind, that is an indicator that you are performing more of a delt

    raise, than a powerful hip drive)

    7. The lats are engaged and the shoulders are packed

    8. The hips and knees fully extend at the top of the swing (but do not overextend

    your hips or lean back)

    9. Biomechanical breathing match

    One Arm Swing

    Essentially identical to the two hand swing, except now only performed with one

    arm attached to the bell. The key here is to keep your shoulders and chest square,minimizing as much torso rotation as possible. Also, be sure to keep your shoulder

    packed, not allowing the kettlebell to yank your arm during the movement.

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    Double Kettlebell Swing

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    For this you will need to widen your stance to more of a sumo stance in order to

    clear the bells through your legs. You may also rotate your thumbs inward,

    internally rotating the shoulders, so that the handles of the bells twist inward and

    clear your knees as well. Other than those minor points, the mechanics are same as

    the single kettlebell swing.

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    The Goblet Squat

    The goblet squat is a wonderful prerequisite and primer for the front squat. This

    movement has a variety of applications, but is primarily beneficial for opening up

    the hips and developing a proper squatting movement pattern.

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    For the goblet squat, you will hold the kettlebell in front of your chest by the

    horns/ the sides of the handle.

    Initiate your squat my actively pulling yourself between yourlegs, and pushing

    your knees apart. Your butt should come down at about seven oclock, remember

    that this is NOT a back squat, this is a front squat, and never do we want to back

    squat our front squats. The knees and hips flex at the same rate on a front squat,

    and your knees will indeed translate forward, but this is not an excuse to let your

    heels pop off the ground. Keep your heels planted, and the majority of your weight

    on them. Push your chest out and maintain a big arch in your back, staying as

    upright as possible as you pull yourself into the hole.

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    Most peoples squats would stop about here, or when their thighs are parallel to the

    ground. But for now on, We will instead opt to not squat like sissies anymore. It is a

    myth that you should not squat past parallel, or that your knees should never come

    over your toes. The knee is actually strongest when fully flexed, what we do have to

    watch out for however, are the knees bowing inward, or not staying in line with the

    toes. This is when anterior cruciate ligament (acl) and other knee injuries can occur.

    Not only will we learn to start squatting past parallel, but also we eventually want to

    start squatting full ass to the grass. Squatting to this depth has numerous benefits,

    including the strengthening of your knees! The stress and hormonal response from

    squatting past parallel (especially once you start moving serious weight) is far

    greater, and we want to take full advantage of that. Remember, humans are

    designed to squat past paralleljust think about itwhat do we do everyday that

    requires us to squat? Ill leave that question unanswered for now.

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    Notice that in the bottom of the goblet squat position, my back is not only arched,

    but it is also near vertical. People often get confused when it comes to the squat andthe swing. For the swing we just want a flat back, but not necessarily a vertical back.

    For the squat however (front and goblet squat that is, backsquat is a different

    animal), we want both, a flat and vertical back. We want to stay as upright as

    possible on our front squats, so push your chest up and out as much as possible!

    Also look at the position of my elbows; they are planted right inside my vastus

    medialis muscles or those tear drop looking muscles that are part of your inner

    quads. My elbows are placed here in order to stop my knees from bowing inwards,

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    but it also sets me up in a position where I can stretch my hips out, by prying them

    apart with my elbows.

    This prying stretch will help loosen up tight hip hips, and improve your squat

    mobility. Shift your weight from side to side as you use your elbows to pry your hips

    open, you should feel a stretch in your groin area. As you are doing this, try and find

    space to sink lower into your squat, think about trying to reach your tailbone down

    toward a curb, but keep your spine long, and your chest and head up. You will be

    surprised, as you will surely find yourself sinking deeper into the squat, and

    becoming more comfortable in the bottom position the more you practice this

    prying stretch.

    When you are ready to come out of the squat, think about trying to spread the earth

    apart with your heels. Or even better yet, think about trying to spread the earth

    apart, from your glutes! This visualization will help your knees stay in line with your

    toes and will also help with improving the strength of your squat. Your hips and

    your shoulders should ascent at exactly the same rate when performing the

    concentric portion of a squat. Do not allow your butt to come up first, and finish the

    movement by performing a good morning, as this happens far too often when

    people try to front squat more weight than they can handle. Instead, power breathethrough the movement, squeeze your glutes, and keep your hips under you at all

    times. Trust in your hip drive and do not cheat the rep! This should not be a problem

    with a goblet squat, since the weight being moved is relatively light, but once we

    move onto heavy kettlebell and barbell front squats, I will become adamant about

    this!

    The Racked Squat

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    Exactly the same movement as the goblet squat, except now you hold the bell in the

    rack position. Please continue to read the clean section first, so that you have a

    prior understanding of a proper rack position before attempting this squat

    variation.

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    Breathing

    Take a belly full of air as you descend into the hole. If you are going to perform the

    prying stretch, than you may breathe normally, but before you come back up, take

    another belly full of air, and power breathe on the way up.

    Double Kettlebell Front Squat

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    This is where you will start to move some serious weight when it comes to squatting

    with kettlebells. The kettlebell front squat is also more user friendly for those who

    lack the wrist flexibility to do barbell front squats.

    Again be sure you are proficient at both your clean and double clean (read ahead if

    you have to) before attempting this exercise. Again, all the same squatting

    mechanics apply as before, and some will be covered in more detail once we get into

    squatting with a barbell, so do not rush into double kettlebell front squats!

    Once you are confident in your double clean the movement is fairly simple,

    assuming you have mastered your goblet squat.

    Rack two bells.

    Pull yourself into the hole.

    Push yourself out of the hole.

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    The Turkish Get Up

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    The Turkish get up is a movement so comprehensive that its almost impossible to

    classify. The get up is known for effectively training primitive movement patterns,developing resilient, mobile, and flexible shoulders, and promoting incredible

    overhead and core stability.

    Note that the get up is not just a strength movement, but a diagnostic and corrective

    tool as well. It is one of my personal favorite full body warm up movements, and

    many movement specialists prefer the get up as an assessment tool, since it is such a

    sophisticated movement. But for our purposes, we will focus on the get up as a

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    strength movement; since this was it was originally intended to be. The get up is

    also a prerequisite for any and all overhead lifts

    I prefer to break the get up down into seven steps. They are as follows:

    1. The Set Up2. The forearm position

    3. The hand position

    4. The high bridge position

    5. The sweep/windmill position

    6. The lunge position

    7. The standing position

    Lets start with the set up.

    Lie on your back with a kettlebell of to your side. To pick up the kettlebell, roll

    towards it (you should look like you are in a fetal position) and slide your working

    side hand through the handle to secure a grip on the bell. Be sure the handle is deep

    in the base of your palm and that your wrist is straight (a straight wrist is when

    your front two knuckles are lined up with the bones in your forearm). Take your

    free hand and place it on top of the hand securing the bell. Hug the bell close to your

    body and roll onto your back, brining the bell with you, and keeping it inline with

    your naval.

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    Now that you are on your back and securing your bell, it is time to set up the get up.

    Realize, that your Turkish get up will only be as good as your set up. If your set up is

    crap, then your get up will be crap. Garbage in, garbage out. The set up for the get up

    starts by pressing the bell up overhead, similar to a one arm bench press, except you

    will use both hands (we get in the habit of using both hands because eventually we

    want to be able to do a get up with a bell heavier than we can press). Keep your

    shoulders packed down, your lat engaged, and your scapula depressed as you lock

    the bell out. Once the bell is locked out, you then may remove your overlapping

    hand.

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    The set up from here is fairly simple. Your working side leg (side you have the bell

    in) is bent, with your heel planted close to your butt, and angled out at about a forty

    five, but no more. Your opposite side leg is extended out at about a forty-five as well,but in the opposite direction. Your opposite arm is also extended out at a forty five

    degree angle (keep your forearm off the ground however), and about parallel with

    the extended leg. I realize this may be hard to visualize from all this wordiness, but

    just look at the picture below and you will see exactly what I am attempting to

    explain.

    Notice in the photo above that I am not holding a kettlebell. It would be wise to first

    practice your get up naked or without a bell until you feel confident with the

    movement.

    The forearm position:

    The next step is to push from your planted heel, and pull from your planted elbow tohelp you sit up and prop yourself up onto your forearm. As you may have guessed, I

    like to call this the forearm position; other RKCs may refer to it as the sit up

    position, or the punch and crunch. In this position, be sure to keep your core tight,

    elongate your spine and push your chest out to sit nice and tall, and keep your

    shoulders (yes both of them!) packed down (the more distance between your

    shoulders and your ears the better).

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    The hand position:

    The next step is probably the simplest. All you are going to do is press down and

    pivot on your palm to straight your elbow, propping yourself up on your hand. Be

    sure not to lift your hand and reposition, rather just let it pivot, almost as if it were

    nailed to the ground. Again, do not let your shoulders shrug up, keep your lats

    engaged and keep those shoulders packed.

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    The High Bridge:

    While there are get up variations that omit the high bridge, I feel you will get the

    most out of your get ups if you include the high bridge position, especially from the

    stand point of mobility and stability.

    The movement is quite simple if your set up and preceding steps were all correct. All

    you have to do now is squeeze your glutes, drive from your planted heel, and raise

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    your hips as high as possible. There should be a straight line now connecting the

    kettlebell to the ground through your arms, and your non-working side leg should

    still be straight. Im going to say it over and over again, keep your lats engaged and

    those shoulders packed, both of them! Often, people focus too much on the shoulder

    bearing the weight, and let the shoulder that is actually holding them up shrug up

    towards their ears. Do not let this happen!

    The Sweep/Windmill Position:

    This is the part, which gives people the most trouble. They either get confused on

    which leg to sweep back, or they try and sleep it back into an improper position

    and/or uncomfortable position.

    The goal here is to bring your straight leg (thats the leg that is not support your

    weight, or your non-working side leg), underneath your body, and plant your knee

    directly in line with your hand. Your legs should form an L if done correctly,

    meaning that they are perpendicular, not parallel to each other. Mistakes people

    make include trying to sweep their leg back and keep their knee forward, which

    awkwardly contorts their body and puts them into a vulnerable position. All you

    want to do is get your knee back and in line with your hand. Oh, and keep those

    damn shoulders packed!

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    The lunge position:

    This is another simple transition. Now is the time when you want to assume a

    forward lunging position. Pivot the bottom part of your leg around your planted

    knee, so that your legs are now parallel and both knees are facing forward. As you

    do this, simultaneously life your planted hand and pull yourself upright into a tall

    forward facing position. Your hips and shoulders should now be squared, and the

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    bell is still locked out overhead. Also note my gaze! At all times throughout the get

    up you should have kept your eyes fixed on the kettlebell, but now, you want to look

    straight ahead.

    The standing position:

    Probably the simplest of all the transitions, however there are a few things to be

    aware of. Notice in the picture above my bent legs toes are pointed and I am

    maintaining plantar flexion. We want to be on the ball of our foot, so that we may

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    use our back leg to help drive us up. The second thing to notice is that you still want

    to keep looking straight ahead as you stand up. Stand nice and tall as you squeeze

    your glutes and propel yourself out of the lunge.

    Congratulations, if you have completed all of those steps successfully, then you have

    done your first proper Turkish get up! But now, what comes up must come down. To

    get back down, simply reverse all of the steps you made to get up, except the high

    bridge, which is optional on the way down. If you choose to opt out of the high

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    bridge on the way down, just sweep your leg back through and come right onto your

    butt. As with on your way up, be sure to look back up at the bell once you are in the

    windmill position, and to keep your shoulders packed at all times!

    Breathing:

    There is no strict breathing requirement for the get up. I prefer to power breathe

    through each step. You must however maintain abdominal pressure and tightness

    throughout.

    No Kettlebell? No Problem.

    The barbell Turkish get up is equally effective.

    Be sure to clear plenty of room around you however, as the barbell will surely

    rotate.

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    Here are two Turkish Get Up Videos to help you along even further. One is an in

    depth tutorial I put together a while back, and the other is a demo fo the Turkish get

    up with a barbell.

    Turkish Get Up Video Tutorial

    Barbell Turkish Get Up

    The Kettlebell Clean Single and Double

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    The clean is a movement designed to bring a weight from the ground, into a

    supported position from which you can move the weight overhead, or perform a

    variety of other movements. The clean got its name, because it is to be performed in

    a clean, or fluid manner. In the case of the kettlebell clean, the objective is to bringthe weight up from the ground, into the rack position. From the rack position you

    are able to perform a variety of other movements, such as presses, jerks, squats, etc.

    But the clean is not just an intermediary exercise! It also teaches the athlete not only

    how to produce force, but also how redirect it and reduce it. Proper impact

    absorption is crucial for heavy kettlebell cleans, a skill highly valuable for any

    athlete partaking in a contact sport. The clean will teach you how to brace and

    breathe when taking a hit. Nothing comes closer to taking a punch than performing

    a few sets of heavy kettlebell cleans.

    The set up and start of the clean is identical to the set up for the swing or the one

    arm swing. Forcefully hike the bell back to load the hips. Note that before movingonto double kettlebell cleans, but be sure to first practice your cleans with a single

    bell and become proficient on both sides.

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    Now squeeze your butt and drive your hips forward viciously like you would a

    swing. Except now, we want to redirect the force. To accomplish this, you want to

    plant your elbow against your side, keep your shoulder packed and lat engaged, and

    uppercut through the bell as it approaches hip height, to direct its path up and

    toward you. The uppercut motion of punching through the bell should be violent,

    and straight up your centerline, almost like you are zipping up a big coat. Far too

    often people approach the clean as if it were a bicep curl. This fallacy offends me; as

    this is intended to be a power movement from the hips! Remember! The hips are the

    engine and your arms simply act as the steering wheel to redirect the force and

    trajectory of the bell. Loosen your grip on the kettlebell so that the bell rotates freely

    around your hand. The goal is to get the bell to wrap around your wrist and roll

    smoothly onto your forearms, rather than to have it fly over your hand and bang

    beat the hell out of your forearms. This will take much practice to perfect, so keep

    your reps low enough at first, so that you do not bruise your forearms up too much.

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    The clean goes down essentially the same way it comes up. Do not cast or throwthe bells out, rather just let them drop straight down, and move your hips out of the

    way, leading them into another back swing. You want to be fairly efficient with the

    clean, meaning you do not want the bells to travel farther than they have to. Keep

    the bells as close to your body on both the way up and the way down, because you

    do not want the bells to travel in a large semi-circle. In order to manage the arc of

    the clean, timing of your uppercut is critical. Punch through the bells too late and

    they will greet you with an overly brutal impact. A good tip is to think about

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    cleaning to your hip rather than your shoulders, indicating that you want to start

    your uppercut as the bells approach hip height, and zip them straight up your

    centerline.

    In the finished rack position, the handle of the bell lies deep in the base of the palm

    and the wrists are perfectly straight. Your elbows are down and the weight is infront of your chest and resting on your rib cage. Ladies may have to adjust their rack

    slightly more out to the side to accommodate for being female. The body is tight in

    the rack. Glutes are forcefully contracted, core is engaged, lats are tight and

    shoulders packed down, and there is absolutely no leaning back in a strict rack

    position.

    Be patient. The clean takes practice. Unfortunately, almost everyone pays their dues

    initially with bruised and bumped up forearms, but play it smart and keep your

    volume low enough initially so that you dont abuse your forearms too much Focus

    on quality reps and improving your technique, not quantity when learning the clean.

    Breathing:

    I prefer two breathes when performing a clean. I inhale sharply on the back swing,

    and let out a sharp exhalation as I receive the bells into the rack to absorb the

    impact. This sharp exhalation upon impact becomes incredibly important once

    yours start working with heavier bells, as softies will surely get the wind knocked

    out of them.

    Here is another videothat demos the clean, as well as some other of the core six

    kettlebell movements. Enjoy

    The Kettlebell Military Press Single and Double

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    There is something to be said about pressing heavy weight overhead. It just makes

    you feel good. Sounds primal, and it sounds barbaric, but its the truth, and its

    exactly why the strict kettlebell military press is one of my favorite kettlebell

    exercises.

    The press is not a delt and tricep isolation exercise, but rather a full body grinding

    strength movement. Pressing a kettlebell overhead is both an art and a science, and

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    there is a lot more involved when it comes to perfecting the press than most people

    would think.

    Start by cleaning a kettlebell to the rack position. Realize that your press will only be

    as good as your clean. If your clean is sloppy, then you have just set yourself up for a

    weak press. Clean with intent and load your body with tension upon receiving thebell into the rack. Engage your lats, visualize that you are trying to squeeze a deck of

    cards in your armpit.

    Again in the pictures I am demonstrating with single and double kettlebells, but like

    always, start by perfecting your single bell military press before advancing to

    doubles. The technique is the same, except when working with double bells you

    cannot get away with a sideways lean (lateral deviation) like you can when working

    with a single kettlebell. Do your best to not lean when pressing a bell overhead, but

    if you must, then only lean to the side by kicking your hip out in the opposite

    direction. Never lean back!

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    Before you start to hoist the weight overhead, squeeze your glutes, brace your abs,

    and crush the kettlebell handle as hard as you can. Feel the tension generate

    throughout your body.

    The path that the bell travels during the military press is not a straight line to the

    top, but actually more of a semicircle. The groove is both outward and upward,

    allowing the shoulder to externally rotate and the palms to face forward (pronate).

    Think not about pressing the bells up, but rather yourself away from the bells into

    the earth.

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    Keep your lats tight, using them as the base for your press, and try and keep your

    forearms as vertical as possible as you grind the bells up.

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    Continue to keep the glutes tight and your abs braced, and power breathe as the

    bells elevate.

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    At the top your elbows should be locked out, and your biceps should be positioned

    next to or even slightly behind the ears, so that the weight of the bells is distributed

    down your posterior/back side. Do not exhale all of your air at the top; maintain

    your abdominal tightness and pressure.

    Now its time to bring the bells back to earth. Do not let gravity do the work for you.

    Actively pull the bells down, as if you are performing a chin up. This will feel

    awkward since gravity is working with you, but will ensure that you are engaging

    the lats and prepping them for the next rep. Continue to pull the bell down to the

    rack for the next rep. You may re-clean, or you may not. I prefer to re-clean between

    every press.

    Breathing:

    You want to power breathe through the entirety of the press, both on the way up

    and on the way down. Some strong dudes may even hold their breathe during the

    press, I will leave that option up to you!

    Here is a view from the front

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    Here is one of our oldRKC Training Logswith some great double clean and press

    footage!

    The Kettlebell Snatch

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    Often hailed as the tsar of kettlebell lifts. And I will not argue this claim. The

    kettlebell snatch is an explosive lift designed to drastically improve cardio-

    respiratory endurance, and force production, redirection, and reduction.

    The snatch requires a solid swing foundation, and some commitment. There is a fear

    factor that one must get over about propelling a ball of cast iron steel over theirheads.

    Just like the clean, there is a higher learning curve to the snatch, so be patient, and

    keep the volume low enough at the beginning so you do not bang your forearms up

    too much.

    The set up for the snatch is identical to the set up of a one-arm swing. Hinge about a

    foot behind the bell, secure the handle with one arm, and forcefully hike the bell into

    a backswing.

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    Do not make your initial hike back weak. Throw that bell back and load your hips up

    as much as possible. Stretch that rubber band that is your posterior chain. At the

    height of your back swing, squeeze your butt as hard as you can, drive your heels

    forcefully into the ground, and violently snap your hips forward just as you would a

    one-arm swing.

    Now here is where the force redirection comes into play. The force of your swing is

    projected outwards. But now we want to redirect that force up and backwards. We

    will do this with a technique known as taming the arc. The bell wants to go out, but

    instead we are going to give it a slight tug with our elbow and try and drag it straight

    up our centerline. Obviously it is almost impossible to drag the bell straight up,

    especially if you have great hip drive, but we want to keep the path of the bell as

    vertical as possible, rather than the bell swinging way out in a large semi-circular

    fashion.

    Remember, your hips are still the engine. They power the movement entirely. Your

    arms are just the steering wheel. The tug you are giving is just to redirect the force

    up and slightly back, not to produce any more.

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    By now, the bell should be elevating upwards and towards you, completely powered

    from the violent snapping motion of your hips.

    Now for the tricky part

    As the bell is in elevation around forehead height, what you want to do is to loosen

    grip and spear your hand through the handle of the bell. What this will do is allow

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    the bell to rotate smoothly around your wrist and lie on your forearm. We want to

    loosen the grip, because a tight grip on the bell will only slow the rotation, and lead

    to some nastily bruised forearms. Instead, think about spearing your hand through

    and getting to the lockout position before the bell