Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I JIM SMITH, CSCS, CFT, USAW When Com.

Pavel asked me if I would be interested in writing another article for his site I said yes without hesitation. Com. Pavel is no doubt a leader in the strength industry and is single-handedly responsible for popularizing Russian Kettlebells in the US. The history of the Kettlebells is well documented on the Dragondoor.com site. Kettlebells were used to develop strength, flexibility and endurance by strongmen, wrestlers and weightlifters like Krylov, Poddubny and Alexeyev respectively. I have always been fascinated by strongmen of old and how they developed their super strength. Within the last year, the Diesel Crew obtained a 95 lb Kettlebell and we got to work. We already drew from aspects of Powerlifting, Strongman, Weightlifting, Dinosaur and Grip strength protocols but as Strength Coaches you must evolve and continue to learn if you want to succeed. To be successful with kettlebells you must integrate them into your strength program and make them a staple, if you do this, you will see big rewards. With that being said, there are many articles describing and/or illustrating the most common Kettlebell exercises. What I hope to accomplish in this three articles series is to identify all of these exercises into a Quick Reference Guide and then start to add to this library with some variations that we use for our athletes. Together we will create this Quick Reference Guide and you will have a nice grid that you can print out and put into your strength program manuals, on your gym wall or just have it for your personal use. There will be 3 articles in this series and I hope to give you some insight into the extension of the movement in the Diesel Method and the innovation of the Diesel Crew. Kettlebell are unique in that no other implement can be used for such a vast array of exercises. Kettlebells will help you and your athletes develop a solid strength foundation, greater flexibility (and strength through that increased ROM), muscular endurance, accelerated recovery, increased grip strength, correct weaknesses and generate power / explosiveness / starting strength. All of these benefits will help you evolve and continue to improve your athletes potential to excel at their respective sports. But, as we all know, Kettlebells are expensive. So the variations that we will cover will show you how to double, triple or even quadruple the amount of exercises you can do, with your existing Kettlebell inventory.

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

So, lets take a look at the Quick Reference Guide:

KETTLEBELL EXERCISE INDEX QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Military Press Pull Throughs Bottoms Up Press Multi-Directional Alternating Press Pull Throughs Push Press Swings Inside/Outside Bench Press Walking Swings Floor Press Deadlifts Alternating Floor Press Pistols Push-ups OH Pistols OH Triceps Extension Good Mornings Curls Front Squats Tactical Pull-ups Squats Bent Press Side Press Windmill Turkish Getups (All Styles) BW Rope Drags BW Rope Delts FW Rope Punches Backward Throws Forward Throws Rotational Throws Chest Throws Shotput Throws

OH Squats Cleans OH Walks Deck Squats Snatches OH Lunges OH Lunges Bottoms Up Clean OH Reverse Lunges Rotational Lunge Bottoms Up Snatch Sotts Press Rotational Lunge Punch Forward Flip Bent Over Row Suitcase Deadlift Backward Flip Renegade Row 1 Leg Deadlift Side Flip Windmills 1 Leg Romanian Deadlift Hammer Flip Bent Press Sit-ups Gladiator Press Figure 8s Farmers Walks

Kettlebell Exercise Index Quick Reference Guide Legend

Most exercises above can be performed: 1 Hand 1 Kettlebell 1 Hand 2 Kettlebells 2 Hands 1 Kettlebell 2 Hands 2 Kettlebells 2 Hands 2 Kettlebells - Alternating NOTE: This doubles or even triples the total exercises in the guide immediately! Continue on your quest to innovate and make your athletes training functional to their sport. You can develop complexes. Successively linked exercises. 2 exercises Snatch => OH Squat 3 exercises Clean => Front Squat => Push Press

So now we have our base Kettlebell Quick Reference Guide lets start to add to our database of exercises and innovate along the way.

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

The Band Series

Now lets look at the Band Series. Utilizing accommodating resistance with kettlebells! Everyone is familiar with accommodating resistance from Westside Barbell and Elite Fitness Systems. You can utilize accommodating resistance throughout the entire range of motion of these KB exercises by added Jumpstretch bands. The strength curve will offer less resistance at your biomechanical weakest point and more resistance when the leverage is optimal. Special props to Jason C. Brown (www.kettlebellathletics.com) he covered some of this material previously in his article - How to Combine Kettlebells and Bands for Explosive Sports Performance.
Key Points to remember:
The resistance can be increased by moving your feet apart to increase the initial stretch of the band or by increasing the Kettlebell weight Most exercises can be done with 1 hand (1or 2 Kettlebells), 2 hands (1 or 2 Kettlebells) or in an alternating fashion (2 Kettlebells). Explode against the tension of the bands!

KB BAND DEADLIFT
Take the Kettlebell of your choice and the resistance band of your choice and youre all set to go. String the band through the handle and put your feet into the ends of the band. You can increase the tension by moving your feet out wider or increasing the size KB that you use. This exercise can be performed for a warm-up, endurance or dynamic effort (DE).

Primary Target:

Core, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus, Erector Spinea, Hip Complex, Upper Back (Traps, Lats, Rhomboids) and Grip

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

KB BAND BENT OVER ROWS

See Key Points above. Movement starts with Erectors fixed and lordotic. Head can be in line with the spine or slightly looking up. With torso parallel to the ground, flex the lattisimus and bring the Kettlebell to an area between the upper abdomen and lower pectoralis. Repeat for your desired rep schema.

Primary Target:
Delts and Grip

Core, Erectors, Lattisimus Dorsi, Rhomboids, Trapezius, Posterior

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

KB BAND HIGH PULLS

See Key Points above. Movement starts with a tight, flexed torso (Erectors lordotic and trapezius flexed forward), engage the hips hard and start upward in an explosive motion. The motion will be triple extension as the ankles, knees and hips will extend to explosively move the Kettlebell to a position near or around the upper sternum in one motion. Repeat for your desired rep schema.

Primary Target:

Core, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus, Erector Spinea, Hip Complex, Upper Back (Traps, Lats, Rhomboids) and Grip

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

KB BAND GOOD MORNINGS

See Key Points above. Movement starts with Erectors fixed and lordotic. Head can be in line with the spine or slightly looking up. With torso parallel to the ground, flex the lattisimus and bring the Kettlebell to an area between the upper abdomen and lower pectoralis. When this position has been achieved, isometrically hold your Rhomboids, Lattisimus and Posterior Delts fixed and start your Hip extension. When you have extended your torso to the point of being fully erect flex your hips to move your torso back to a parallel position. Repeat for your desired rep schema.

Primary Target:

Core, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus, Erector Spinea, Hip Complex, Upper Back (Traps, Lats, Rhomboids) and Grip

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

KB BAND CLEANS (AND PRESS)

See Key Points above. Movement starts with a tight, flexed torso (Erectors lordotic and trapezius flexed forward), flex the hips hard and start upward in an explosive motion. The motion will be triple extension as the ankles, knees and hips will extend to explosively move the Kettlebell to a racked position on the lateral head of your triceps. Flex the lattisimus dorsi hard and press the Kettlebell to a locked position overhead. The press can be a push press, push jerk or a strict press. Repeat for your desired rep schema.

Primary Target: Core, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteals, Lattisimus Dorsi, Erectors, Hip Complex, Rhomboids, Triceps, Trapezius, Posterior Delts, Grip

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

KB BAND PULL THROUGHS

See Key Points above. Movement starts with Erectors fixed and lordotic. Head can be in line with the spine or slightly looking up. With torso parallel to the ground, flex the lattisimus and explosively extend the hips and retract the traps hard to move the Kettlebell to a position above the abdomen, or in line with the shoulders or your line of sight. Allow the Kettlebell to move back between the legs and repeat the explosive extension. Repeat for your desired rep schema. Core, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteals, Lattisimus Dorsi, Erectors, Hip Complex, Rhomboids, Trapezius, Posterior Delts and Grip

Primary Target:

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

The Grip Series

The Diesel Crew are recognized as Leaders in Grip Strength by continually striving to innovate. This Grip Series will look at two immediate ways to increase the grip component on your Kettlebell training. Remember: Power is generated from the ground up, from the core out and from the hands in. Functionally training your grip for your respective sport is essential.

DUCT TAPE
Duct tape can be added to your Olympic bar, axle, dumbbells and of course your Kettlebells. By wrapping the handle in the Duct tape, the need to dynamically support the Kettlebell throughout an exercise becomes even more critical. One advantage of working with Kettlebells is the thick handled component. Support strength is a key aspect of your overall hand strength profile. But, you will see, Duct tape will bring the grip focus up another level.

Primary Target: Grip

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

TOWELS / ROPES
Towels and Ropes, like Duct tape, are an immediate, inexpensive way to increase the focus on the grip component of an exercise. Virtually every sport requires an athlete to rely on specific levels and different aspects of grip strength. Football, Rugby, Wrestling, Baseball, MMA are just a few of the many sports that require specific attention to one aspect of grip strength, either; crush, support, pinch or levering.

Primary Target: Grip

As you will see on the Quick Reference Guide, I added: Band Squats, Band Front Squats, Band Military Press, Band Push Press and so on You can make that 1 pood feel like a 2 pood instantly by added a mini, light, medium or heavy band! Alright, so lets look at the Quick Reference Guide now and see how it has changed.

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

KETTLEBELL EXERCISE INDEX QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Pull Throughs Military Press 3D Pull Throughs Band Military Press Inside Swings Bottoms Up Press Outside Swings Push Press Walking Swings Band Push Press Lunges Bench Press Deadlifts Floor Press Band Deadlifts Push-ups Pistols OH Triceps Extension OH Pistols Curls Good Mornings Hammer Curls Band Good Mornings Tactical Pull-ups Front Squats Band Front Squats Squats Band Squats Hack Squats Bent Press Side Press Windmill Turkish Getups (All Styles) BW Rope Drags BW Rope Delts FW Rope Punches
FW Rope Chest Flyes

Backward Throws Forward Throws Rotational Throws Chest Throws Shotput Throws

OH Squats OH Walks Cleans Deck Squats OH Lunges Band Cleans OH Forward Lunges OH Reverse Lunges Snatches OH Backward Lunges Sotts Press Bottoms Up Clean Rotational Lunge Bent Over Row Bottoms Up Snatch Rotational Lunge Punch Renegade Row Forward Flip Suitcase Deadlift Figure 8s Rotator Backward Flip 1 Leg Deadlift High Pulls Side Flip 1 Leg Romanian Deadlift Band High Pulls Hammer Flip Sit-ups Windmills Figure 8s - Core Bent Press Farmers Walks Gladiator Press

GRIP: Duct Tape, Towels, Ropes

Kettlebell Exercise Index Quick Reference Guide Legend
Most exercises above can be performed: 1 Hand 1 Kettlebell 1 Hands 2 Kettlebells 2 Hands 1 Kettlebell 2 Hands 2 Kettlebells 2 Hands 2 Kettlebells - Alternating NOTE: This doubles or even triples the total exercises in the guide immediately! Continue on your quest to innovate and make your athletes training functional to their sport. Innovate with Bands, Towels and Ropes with your Kettlebell training. You can develop complexes. Successively linked exercises. 2 exercises Snatch => OH Squat 3 exercises Clean => Front Squat => Push Press 01/02/2006 www.DieselCrew.com Copyright 2005-2006 Diesel Crew 11 Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential

Quick Diesel Workout - Upper

Non Specific Warmup - Dynamic Core Specific Warmup Target Specific Warmup Axle Clean & Press Grip Kettlebell Clean/Press - Mini-Band Grip Tricep Lockouts - Strongman Log Grip Kettlebell - Alternating Bench Press Grip Prehab / Rehab Cool Down / Stretching 5min 5min 5min 6x2 3x3 6x2 5x5 3x12 10min

Hope you enjoyed this first installment of this article series: Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I. In the next two installments in the series we will discuss developing strength is an increased Range of Motion (ROM) and more advanced Grip techniques. Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW
[email protected] The Diesel Crew Achieving Beyond Potential www.DieselCrew.com

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Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW Achieving Beyond Potential