In any overhead kettlebell exercise you should position the handle in such a way that the heel of your palm under your pinky is loaded and your wrist is not bent back. Once that is taken care of you have two different grips, parallel and diagonal, to choose from for different exercises.

In the former you are gripping the center of the handle and the handle is parallel to your fist. The parallel crush grip is essential for strict military presses. Not only does crushing the handle up your strength through the phenomenon of “irradiation” (see Power to the People!), the pressure on the thumb pad activates the mechanoreceptor or “button” responsible for recruiting your biceps. Surprisingly, the biceps is very involved in strict presses: the long head flexes the shoulder, or raises the arm. Which is why powerlifters walk around with big bis, without dishonoring themselves with curls.

The above does not apply to push presses, tempo presses, and jerks. These drills use the legs and/or the rib cage to start the movement, do not need the biceps’ help, and only need strong triceps to finish the lift. Thus gripping the handle or loading the thumb pad is not necessary. With this requirement out of the way you now are able to load the triceps “button” on the heel of the palm even more. It is accomplished by gripping the handle unevenly, with the thumb touching the corner, and making the handle sit diagonally across the palm with the weight resting practically on the wrist. Now you don’t have to grip the handle at all and may passively fold your fingers.

In addition to relaxing the biceps, which are more of a liability than an asset in push presses and jerks, further fortifying the triceps, and sparing the grip, it is worth using the corner grip for your push presses and jerks for the purpose of disassociating these quick lifts with your presses.

In the good ole’ days when Olympic weightlifters still pressed, Soviet specialists warned about a possible negative skill transfer between jerks and presses. The latter demanded relaxing the arms and the former insisted on tightening them. Get the two confused, and you are weak in both lifts.

A kettlebell lifter has the luxury of different grips that will help him to keep his strict press and push press/jerk skill sets separate. A slightly different rack will help as well.

As for other exercises, keep your fist closed to connect the load to your biceps and get a more comprehensive stabilization for your shoulder in get-ups and windmills. You don’t have to crush grip the handle as hard as you do in presses though. Do crush in bent presses, as you need the extra “guy wire” of the biceps for stability in this heavy lift.

Snatch with a parallel grip. The diagonal grip encourages the kettlebell and the lifter’s body to go into a spin, which forces the girevik to be less explosive. Open your hand when you do high rep snatches, as in the Enter the Kettlebell! Rite of Passage. But do grip the handles when locking out your double snatches for extra control and stability.

Order the Return of the Kettlebell book and DVD set

Whether you are a gun carrying professional or a martial artist, the following approach to “Greasing the Groove” (a strength building technique from the Naked Warrior) will benefit you greatly.

Run. At intervals you have set for yourself—so many minutes or so many phone poles—stop and do a 1-3 pistols. At the next stop do a couple of one-arm pushups. Here and there do both pistols and pushups. No rest at all and just a couple of reps.

This type of effort—steady state endurance interrupted by occasional intense contractions—is much more specific to your needs than high reps of low intensity exercise.

The Naked Warrior

Pavel Tsatsouline got a letter from one of our special operators in Iraq, near Fallujah:

“Pavel, this is a photo from my “courage corner” here in Iraq. ETK presses, pullups, swings, and snatches get done here nightly. I have found that your Enter the Kettlebell! program works as a great training base, it leaves the operator with just the right amount of strength and conditioning training while still being fresh enough to get the job done on ops. Add in some runs and lower volume but heavier weight stuff on the variety days and its as well rounded as a program could get. Thanks for supporting the fighting man.”

Photos courtesy anonymous US serviceman

RKC Kettlebells. The First. The Best.

Click Here for Answer

Let's look first at some of the benefits of taking some time off short term. Everyone's body is unique, and the response to intense training at a high level with kettlebells is different from one to another. It can also change with age. So therefore you need to understand just what the threshold is for your particular body. Some of us maybe comfortable working out heavily for five to six days a week, while others may only be able to reap substantial benefits from training three days a week. Whatever it turns out to be for you, it is essential to allow your body to recover from these intense kettlebell sessions (they are intense, aren't they?!?) to allow it to build strength and move forward. Too often we see people over-training, and subsequently doing the exercises while they are not rested enough, losing form and thus not getting the full range of benefit, and even going so far as to injure themselves. This can be avoided with a little foresight. Give yourself a proper time between sets, (not too much!) and also train when you are fresh physically, not after you've spent the morning laying a new foundation on your house. You get the idea.

When you do take time off from the kettlebells, don't substitute another heavy lifting or otherwise debilitating physical exercise in it's place. Take the time off.

It may be advisable to take a few consecutive days off once every few weeks. This will not effect your strength levels, and will refresh you, possibly laying the groundwork for a breakthrough if you find yourself on a plateau.

Once in a while you may want to take a longer break from the kettlebells. This is not only okay, but generally a good idea. Getting away from the constant training can be a good thing occasionally, enabling you to concentrate on something else for awhile. Many people use a break like this to take a session in another discipline, like yoga or a martial art, giving the heavy lifting a break but still learning and training the body, perhaps in an all new discipline. Many times this doesn't happen until it is forced upon people by injury. Better to plan this sort of thing yourself, than have it thrust on you.

However long your break, make sure that you do not try and resume training at the same level you did when you started your break. Ease back into it, and while you'll find that there is some catch up to do, your technique may actually be better and more precise for having allowed your body to completely recover. It is always good to review your basics when coming back in the fold, and soon you'll find yourself right back where you were, only this time refreshed and poised to move higher.

Training hard with kettlebells is a great way to push your body and mind to new levels of physical and mental conditioning. Make sure that you periodically take some time off to not only refresh your body and mind, but to refocus and reinvigorate your training as well. You be very pleased with the results!

Firstly, determine exactly where you stand in your fitness state at the moment. You need a starting point, and you should be very honest with yourself, and don't delude yourself into thinking you can embark upon a world-class training regimen if you've spent the last six months watching Sex and The City reruns!

Once you've determined your starting point, you need to come up with a workout that addresses your needs and desires in your training. You can do this alone or with the help of a trainer or workout partner. Pick exercises that you can do, and fashion them into a routine that you can stick to for 3-5 days per week. Kettlebell training is by it's nature an extreme form of exercise, so don't think you can get hard body results by doing it once or twice a week for twenty minutes or so. (Probably why we haven't seen a late night infomercial touting kettlebells!) You'll need to work very hard when you are working out, so plan for a decent length session, at least three times a week.

One good way to keep track of your progress is to keep a training diary, where you chart not only the weights and routines accomplished, and in how much time; but tangible results like weight loss, inches gained or loss, body fat indexes, energy levels, injuries, and anything else you might like to note your progress on. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it can be a real help to be able to go back a few months and see just how far you've come.

Consider having a workout partner. Not only will this prevent boredom from slipping into your workouts, but it can have the added advantage of having someone else there to spur you on. Many people have their kettlebells at home, as opposed to a gym setting, and it's easy to get into the habit of doing it alone. My suggestion would be to try and avoid that if possible, and get a partner. The two of you can push each other to new and uncharted territory that you may not have been able to force yourself into alone.

Make sure you have a balanced body workout, and that you're not placing too much emphasis on any one area. Part of the beauty of kettlebell training is that it is an entire body workout, so don't limit yourself from this. Make sure also to give your body time to sufficiently recover from a particularly hard session, before taking on yet another. Failing to keep an eye on this can lead to injuries, which can not only hurt but delay your training and progress for some time. Safety is something you definitely want to be aware of.

Finally, to get the best results possible from your kettlebell training you need to practice good technique and learn from the pros. Take the time to pay your dues, and learn from either an RKC instructor or a good teaching program, such as some of the material available from www.DragonDoor.com. You can find instructors local to your area almost anywhere in the United States, and sometimes there's a local gym with a group practicing this regimen. The point is to avail yourself of the best teaching you can, and thus set yourself up for success that way.

Do some of these things and in a short amount of time you'll find yourself quite pleased with your results with kettlebell training!

These exercises ought to be taken up 3 times a week, with the sets and rest times indicated. As usual, whenever taking up any new exercise program make sure you are fit enough to do so. If you have any health concerns check with your doctor before proceeding with a kettlebell training regimen. Kettlebells are an extreme form of fitness conditioning, and not for the faint of heart, literally!

Also, make sure you stretch your major muscle groups well before beginning, as well as getting your heart pumping a little. If you do kettlebells correctly it is a major cardio event, so be prepared.

(For the following exercise descriptions, remember that a picture is worth a thousand words, so if there is any confusion get your hands on a video, so you can see the fluidity of the movements firsthand.)

<strong>KETTLEBELL CLEANS</strong>
This exercise is performed by keeping your torso straight, and bending forward from the hips slightly. Then in an explosive move you lift the kettlebells by extending the hips, knees and ankles, getting the kettlebells to your shoulder level. Keep your elbows out and the kettlebells close to your body at all times. When you have them shoulder level rotate your elbows around and under the kettlebells, ending with your wrists against your shoulders and hips and knees flexed to help absorb the weight. Do this exercise in three sets of 15-20 reps, with 15-30 seconds rest between.

<strong>SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL ROWS</strong>
Standing with your feet hip width apart, slightly bent knees, bent at hips with a straight back. Hold onto something immovable around waist height to help support you during the exercise. Then grab the kettlebell in the free hand and let it hang toward the floor. Keep your elbow tucked in and raise the kettlebell up to your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top, then lower the kettlebell and repeat. Do this one as well in three sets of 15-20 reps with the same rest periods.

<strong>ALTERNATING FLOOR PRESS</strong>
Lying on your back with a kettlebell in each hand, perform a press to the sky with each one, alternating and twisting your body slightly to involve muscles of the upper back and shoulders as well as the chest and arms. Again, three sets of 15-20 reps and the proscribed rest periods.

<strong>KETTLEBELL FRONT SQUATS</strong>
Holding the kettlebells at chest level in front of you, and with your feet a little bit wider than hip width apart and knees slightly bent, perform a squat to the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor, making sure that your knees are over your feet and that your torso is a bit forward to maintain balance. Don't go beyond parallel. Once down there, return to the starting position and guess what? Repeat for three sets of 15-20 reps each, making sure to get your short rest in between.

<strong>SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL JERKS</strong>
With your feet shoulder width apart and knees lightly bent, (see a recurring theme here?) hold your kettlebell near your ear with your palms facing forward. This exercise is an explosive one, and the next step would be to perform a quick quarter squat, and then immediately extend your legs while at the same time pressing your kettlebell up above your head, making sure to keep your kettlebell and wrists over your elbow. Make sure to employ your legs to give you the ability to lift heavier weights in this exercise. Once again, three sets of 15-20 reps.

<strong>KETTLEBELL SWINGS</strong>
One of the more popular and signature kettlebell exercises, this one is performed by grasping your kettlebell and holding it between your legs, with your body bent over and back as flat as you can make it.. The move consists of swinging your kettlebell backwards and then making a forceful move forward bringing the kettlebell up to your chest level, while keeping your arms straight and extending your legs. Repeat this move for three sets of 15-20 reps. This one is a definite cardio blast, so be prepared! You can alternate arms to get a balanced workout.

<strong>KETTLEBELL WINDMILLS</strong>
Windmills are performed by extending one arm straight overhead with a kettlebell. Then bend over at the hips while making sure to keep your back flat and grasp the other kettlebell and essentially dead lift it while raising your body back to an upright position, all the while maintaining the other kettlebell above you. Do your reps and then switch up arms for a balanced workout.

While there are many more exercise that can be added to make for a fuller, more complete workout, these basics will give you a good start toward success with your kettlebell training. If you are in training for a specific sport, you'll come across exercises that will be very sport-specific, and greatly aid you in your training.

One of the hallmarks of success with kettlebells or any other training method for that matter is consistency. Make sure that however you construct your routine, that it is one that is neither too hard nor too wimpy. Being able to consistently train at this extreme level will bring results you've never had before, but only if you build a smart routine and then stick like glue to it! get involved with a good instructor if you can, or find like-minded people to work out with and you'll find your success!

The first thing you'll want to consider when beginning training with kettlebells is your workout space. Kettlebells are heavy, unforgiving implements that will do much damage to anything or anybody even slightly fragile around them, so be sure to give yourself plenty of room, preferably outside, on grass or dirt, as long as you make sure your surface is flat and neither to slippery or too sticky. You want to be able to not slip, as well as to perform maneuvers with your feet. Inside on a rubber mat can be good. Never on a wooden gym floor.

Try to wear shoes with flat bottoms or go barefoot, as you want to have your foot in contact with the floor.

Working with kettlebells will almost certainly develop major calluses on your hands, and you need to come up with your own solution to deal with this. If you don't, and simply let nature take it's course, then the resulting tearing off of the callus will give you an unplanned vacation. You know yourself what has worked for you in the past; simply make it a priority to take extremely good care of your hands, paring down the calluses when needed, and treating them with appropriate lotions and creams.

When working with kettlebells and they are about to drop from your grip, let them! Do not attempt to catch your kettlebells, or you'll most certainly regret it. At worst you have a hurt floor, which is a whole lot better than a hurt you! Remember these are heavy iron implements; get the heck out of the way! Rest assured that you will drop them from time to time, but if you make it a hard and fast rule not to try and catch it or otherwise direct it you'll most likely avoid injury.

Many times beginners lose their grip on their kettlebells because they have trained to the point of exhaustion. This is entirely unnecessary. You can get all the benefits you desire without putting your safety in jeopardy.

Some things to remember when training with kettlebells would first include making sure that you use proper form when lifting the kettlebells from the floor. This means to makes sure that you lift with an arched back, not a rounded one, and to endeavor to keep your shoulders back and square. No rounding forward of the shoulders! This keeps the bulk of the work onto the scapula and lats, not the shoulders and neck, where a lot of kettlebell injuries come from. Keeping your shoulders back, or "packed" will result in a better workout posture and allow you to use your maximum strength available when performing the exercises. By rounding and over-extending the shoulders, you open yourself up for the possibility of injury, and ask very small muscles to do the job that larger muscle groups ought to be doing.

Keeping a proper angle in your wrists while performing kettlebell exercises is also extremely important. You wan to keep your wrists very straight, and do not bend them. Besides the obvious strain that bending them puts on your tendons. For most all except a few more advanced kettlebell techniques the wrist is held straight, so practice this as a matter of course, especially for the basic exercises.

Try and keep a balanced position with your head and neck, neither too far forward nor backward. It's best to keep your head aligned with your body, that is, if you are bending over forward, your head will be naturally aligned in that aspect as well, not straining to stay forward and erect. One of the oldest maxims in sports is that where the head goes, the body goes, so make sure not to overdo this by bending too far in any direction. Stay as natural as possible.

Now for a few words about the way you approach your training with the kettlebells. If you are going to take on an exercise program as extreme as kettlebell training, then you may want to give it the priority it deserves. Training with kettlebells is in and of itself an incredibly strenuous activity, and if you hope to combine this with another type of physical activity or sport such as martial arts, then you might do well to do the kettlebell training first, because if you come to this type of activity already fatigued, you stand a good chance of at least not getting what you want out of this, and at worst, hurting yourself. Coming into this type of training tired and unfocused can lead to bad results in many ways. Just don't go there! If you want to invest tie time and energy to train with kettlebells, then make sure to take it seriously and do it right.

Take the time necessary to learn the exercises properly, and to execute them as they are intended to be done. Kettlebell training is very specific, and while this type of exercise gets all the "in between" areas of muscular development, the regimen is still quite uniform, and for good reason. Learn the proper technique for each exercise, and you'll be rewarded with better results and less chance of injury.

Training with kettlebells can not only change your physique, but you whole state of health. Learn to do the basics of kettlebell training right, and you'll find that not only will you progress faster, but you feel better doing so. Make sure to set yourself up to become of the kettlebell success stories!

I consider myself to be in good condition. I work out, plus I teach a boot camp class 3 times a week. This was the lightest kettlebell and I never did more than 10 reps!

Be aware of this when ordering kettlebells. Remember you can always increase the weight later.

Continued…

When finding yourself facing a wicked structure fire, facing the prospect of ferrying heavy equipment into and possibly helpless victims out of a conflagration calls for a special type of physical conditioning generally unavailable to the masses. The length of time you may be on a fire also plays into the need to come up with a workout that addresses the particular needs of a firefighter. Perhaps the ultimate anaerobic profession, these heavy physical tasks must be performed at a high level under intense heat and emotional circumstances.

So what types of kettlebell exercises might be applicable to firefighting? One workout routine that I have seen out there is a combination of presses, swings, weighted pulls-ups and Turkish get-ups. The presses can be a variety of exercises, including kettlebell clean and presses, side presses, or single military presses. Likewise a variety of swings, either with one kettlebell or two, and possibly alternating. Weighted pull-ups can be replaced with bent over rows, Renegade Rows, or Bear Crawls. Turkish get-ups are a great exercise for entire body strength, but can be possibly too much on a work day. On those days you might want to substitute a Windmill.

Attempt to mimic the cardio and strength demands of firefighting in your strength and conditioning days. A monster session of swings and snatches, combined with an active recovery period consisting of something like jumping rope or jogging will give you the kind of workout that you can build on. Also try and incorporate some traditional firefighting conditioning drills, such as any type of tower work if you're fortunate enough to have one in your station. You might even place kettlebells strategically on different landings in the tower, performing presses or snatches on your way up and down. Just another (evil) idea!

We need to speak about the intensity of your workouts, particularly on days-on. On work days you may want to focus your training on low rep sets, not really taxing yourself to the point where you'd be too fried for an alarm. Perhaps focus on a couple of full body exercises and strive for good form and technique. On days off is where you go for the gusto! Using these days for full body conditioning and strength training in a firefighter specific routine will give you the edge you're looking for from kettlebells. Make sure you schedule yourself enough down time as well, as over-training would be disastrous for someone in this line of work. Proper sleep and nutrition also play a vital role in whether or not this type of training program, (or any training program for that matter!) will work for you.

Make sure when crafting a sensible workout routine for firefighting that you take into account not only your work schedule but also the demands of the job. The goal of including kettlebell training into a freighting conditioning program is to pump up the overall physical prowess specific to the job. By using kettlebells unique ability to work both the strength and cardio aspects of the task, you'll soon find yourself in much better overall conditioning, and able to withstand the demands of the profession, leading to a safer more effective workplace.