3 Overhead Pressing Tips

Your body has natural reflexes that when stimulated can help enhance your kettlebell training exercises and results.

Here are 3 that work very well with Kettlebell Overhead Pressing variations. But they’re not limited to those kettlebell exercises.

But first a quick update on our live events:

Click Here to register for our Kettlebell Certifications.

Click Here to check out our Kettlebell Live Events page.

More Kettlebell Training Inspiration!

A few weeks ago I posted a video of Pamela MacElree Snatching a 32kg Kettlebell 10 times on her right and 7 times on her left.

In the meantime Pamela had a BJJ competition but that hasn’t stopped her from moving ahaed on her kettlebell Training Goals.

Watch the video below to see her progress. I think she’ll make 20R20L very soon.

P.S. Pamela also had a kettleebll training article published in Personal Fitness Professional. You can check that out here: PMac Kettlebell Article

Kettlebell Training Inspiration

Many people have written in and shared their 2010 kettlebell training goals. Thank you very much.

Many people mentioned performing some kettlebell exercise with a 32kg kettlebell, mostly pressing.

Here’s a quick video of Pamela MacElree of Kettlebell Athletics snatching a 32kg kettlebell for 10 reps on her right and 7 reps on her left. Pamela’s goal for 2010 is 20 snatches on the right and left. Do you think she’ll make it?

I do.

By the way, Pamela does what is known as a Half- Snatch or Health-Snatch by lowering the kettlebell to her shoulder. This is perfectly legit. Original Kettlebell competitions consisted of half-snatches and were later changed to the variation we see now.

Your Kettlebell Training Not-To-Do List {Part 2}

Well it seems hat everyone out there has their own Kettlebell Training Not-To-Do List! Thanks for sharing! Here are a few more that I feel are important. I do have a suspicion that we could keep this going for quite a while.

4. Do not become dogmatic and close your mind to other training options and opinions.

Do not sell all of your dumbbells. Do not sell all of your barbells. Do not subscribe to only one camp of kettlebell training either. There are times and situations when one training option will outweigh the rest. This could even include variations of the same kettlebell exercise. For example, we teach our athletes to snatch their kettlebells in a vertical path directly from the floor. They’re looking for power development and that’s all, they could care less about snatching a kettlebell for 10 minutes straight.

We treat kettlebell training as a means to an end- athletics development. At other times we treat kettlebell training as the end itself, as we have many kettlebell geeks as clients and athletes. Your kettlebell training has to fit within the context of what you’re after. Use the correct variation for the correct response and use the correct training tool for the correct physical attribute. It’s that simple.

 

5. Do not take your kettlebell training too seriously-

Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the process. Kettlebell training is one of the most fun ways to train. You can take it anywhere, it’s quick, rewarding and easy to implement.

Remember, kettlebell training was originally marketed within the U.S. as the poor man’s alternative to Olympic Lifting.

There are months and weeks where your training numbers will matter, so write everything down and focus.

There are other times when taking your kettlebell to the beach or park and whipping it into the air is your best medicine. Allow your body to feel those ups and downs naturally and respect it.

6. Do not forget to include others in your kettlebell training lifestyle-

My wife was never really into working out until I got her hooked on kettlebell training. My 6 year old son sees kettlebells everywhere and has quite a good 2-arm swing. My 2 year old son’s 2^nd word was kettlebell, his 3^rd was BJJ. No lie!

Training with friends and in groups adds an outstanding dynamic to your training atmosphere. Many kettlebell training programs work great with partners:

• 1. Partner Ladders- You go, I go. If you want even more rest between rungs add another training partner. We did this in the Marines with up to 10 people per pull-up bar and my pull-up numbers were never higher.
• 2. Partner Intervals- You Go, I go. If you want to manipulate the work: rest ratios simply add a training partner or two. There are several ways to work these partner intervals but that is the subject for a future post.
• 3. Team Relays- This is always a favorite within our group kettlebell training programs. Which team can complete a certain amount of work first? Maybe 500 swings, 800 meter run and 500 Push Presses. Teams can divide the work however they see fit and it’s always fun watching them develop their own strategies. Just a quick side note: Whenever we divide the teams into old farts and young whipper snappers…it’s the older crew that wins out. Must come from experience.
• 4. Many many more options- I’ll write more other group/partner workouts in future post.

P.S. I would love to hear how you training with others or how your run your group classes. Lay it on me homie!

1, 2, 3 Get Loose

As a follow up to last week’s video on making the most out of your kettlebell windmills, here’s another tip that will help to make your kettlebell windmills much more effective in your kettlebell training.

For your foot placement, imagine that your heals are connected the ground so they become your pivot point. You want to ensure that your heals are also in line with each other you don’t want them to be in a stagger stance.

From here, you’ll apply the wall drill by keeping your leg vertical and perpendicular to the ground as well as with the arm that remains overhead. These are the pillars of your kettlebell windmill and need to remain sturdy throughout the entire movement.

We’ve got one last quick at home home workout that will leave you feeling really good about the time you spent training…

Kettlebell High Pulls 10 x 10
T Stabilization Rotations 10 x 10
Contra Lateral Push Ups 10 x 5

Baby Got Back

How ironic that this song popped up on the Pandora shuffle this morning before I was about to film the Kettlebell Windmill series.

Although Kettlebell Windmills aren’t about side bends and sit ups, they are an excellent exercise for strengthening the obliques, and they require a sufficient amount of glute activation to return to the standing postion.

Below is the first video technique that will help improve you Kettlebell windmill.

As promised here’s a quick and effective kettlebell workout for you to add in today or this weekend.

10 One Arm Kettlebell Swings Left
10 Push Ups
10 One Arm Kettlebell Swings Right
10 Mountain Climbers

3-5 Rounds depending on your available time and fitness levels

Fitting It In During the Holidays

The past three weeks have been crazy!

If you’ve been following the blog, we had a Kettlebell Certification in Philadelphia at our facility on the 7th, followed by a TRX course on the 8th, then I was in New York City for a two-day Kettlebell Certification on the 14th & 15th, and I just wrapped up another one day Kettlebell Certification today!

Not to mention the facility has been up and running as well!

It’s been a little hectic.

I’ve had to rely on short, high intensity workouts in the midst of all this chaos to keep going strong with my workouts.

Here’s another short, yet highly effective kettlebell workout for those days where you only have a few minutes…

It’s one of my favorite complexes.

10-8-6-4-2 Left / Right

Kettlebell Clean
Kettlebell Push Press
Kettlebell Front Squat

If you have some extra time and are feeling fiesty try the full descending ladder of 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Left / Right

Here’s a photo from today’s closed door Kettlebell Athletics Kettlebell Certification, an amazing group by far, so glad I get to spend my days with such dedicated people.

Kettlebell Workouts in under 10 minutes

I know you’re busy!

I know you love new kettlebell workout ideas.

Here’s a quick sample of a kettlebell workout at our training facility in Philadelphia.

It’s a very simple kettlebell workout combined with a relatively challenging push up variation.

You’ll definitely want to give it a try, and let us know what you think.

5-4-3-2-1 reps of

Kettlebell High Pulls
Kettlebell Goblet Squats
Contralateral Push Ups (the push ups are twice as many reps, so 10-8-6-4-2)

Kettlebell Training Around Injuries

Let’s face it, injuries are no fun, and more often than not we completely stop training when we get injured. If your injuries are minor you still might be able to work out other areas of the body.

We got an email the other day from a fellow kettlebell enthusiast asking for some suggestions on the types of kettlebell exercises he could do that didn’t involve any weight bearing movement on the ankle complex.

So we have two for you…

First is the the Kneeling Kettlebell Clean and Press. This one is great for this scenario but it’s also great for using kettlebells that have become too light. By kneeling you take the hip drive out of the kettlebell clean, and even a lighter weight becomes very challenging.

Take a look

Another great one is the Kettlebell Half Turkish Get Up. The Turkish Get Up in general is a great full body workout, that also plays a major roll in developing shoulder stability. Here the half Turkish Get Up still works all the muscles of the core and the helps to develop shoulder stability without having to worry about the ankle complex.

Here you go

Another Great Kettlebell Weekend

I’m still in awe over the number of amazing trainers and fitness professionals we encounter and get to work with on a monthly basis.

We love teaching our kettlebell training methods, so I’m sure the awe will continue each and every time we have the opportunity to instruct and mentor.

This past weekend’s Kettlebell Athletics Kettlebell Certification in New York City was no different.

If your short on time, try this quick little workout.

20 Swings
20 Push Ups
20 High Pulls
20 Squat Thrusts
20 Goblet Squats
20 Walking Lunges

1-3 times through depending on how much time you have.

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