Ask The Coach

Dear readers,

Hope you are all healthy and lifting heavier kettlebells this year!

As we move into 2011, we are looking to answer any of your fitness questions that you may have on Kettlebells, fitness or even on workout programs.

Do feel free to send your questions to : kettlebelltrainingmalaysia@gmail.com

With your question, do attach the following answers as well so that we know who we are communicating with! Questions may or may not be posed up onto the site, where deemed for the public.


Hear from you soon!

Regards,
The Kettlebell Malaysia Training Team

Got My Kettlebells, Now What?

There are many ways and places that you can use your kettlebells. Many people opt for the comfort of their homes, apartment/condominium gyms and also public parks that have open space to train. Kettlebells will provide you with a whole body workout! The difference weights that you (may have) obtained will increase physiological gains.

If you are interested to train in a gym, some local gyms like PushMore, KDTA, or even Celebrity Fitness offers programs and classes for all levels. Crossfit gyms all around the world utilizes kettlebells as part of their training routine for its members. It provides an additional fitness tool that challenges the athletes balance & control of the kettlebell.

In terms of trainers, these gyms would have certified trainers on board. Hiring a personal trainer that is trained & knowledgeable in kettlebell handling/lifting is crucial to ensure training safety! Never lift weights without supervision, especially if it's your first time using a kettlebell.

Kettlebells have a "moving" center of gravity (COG) depending on where you grip it, and what exercises that you're doing. The handle guides the "ball" yet moves according to the force generated by the body to move it. Because of that, your abs & back needs to work harder to maintain stability and provide the base strength of the exercise. Well, we definitely cannot do a Kettlebell Press if our torso's slouched and hunched!

With a 8kg or 12kg kettlebell, you may start with the following exercises:

1) Kettlebell Deadlift

The deadlift is an excellent exercise for strengthening the lower back, glutes and the hamstrings. This exercise can be done with dumbbells, a barbell or with a kettlebell. The kettlebell offers a wide, thick handle that may be easier to grip, allowing you to lift a heavier weight than with dumbbells. You can also do this exercise with two kettlebells.

• Begin with the feet about hip-width apart and a heavy kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
• Bend the knees and keep the back flat as you lower down to pick up the weight.
• Hinge from the hips, keeping the hips back and the knees behind the toes. Always keep your hips above your knees.
• Make sure the abs are braced and look naturally forward to keep the neck in alignment.
• Pick up the weight and stand up, using the power of your legs to push back to start.

Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps.

2) Kettlebell Goblet Squat

• Get your stance. Even more than other squat forms, the goblet squat's stance is based largely on individual physiology and anatomy. This means you should determine what's best for you, given some basic parameters. For starters, make sure you take a relatively narrow stance, with your feet only slightly more than shoulder width apart.
• Hold the weight by its "horns" with both hands in front of you, touching it to the top of your chest.
• Squat down as if you're sitting down in a chair behind you in one fluid motion. Make sure to keep your elbows between your knees as you squat, not on top or outside of them. Keep your back as straight as possible as you keep the weight stable and unmoving.
• Push up explosively from your thighs and buttocks, this time as if you standing up out of a chair but without leaning forward. Pay attention to the straightness of your back and your stance, making sure neither moves out of position. If the exercise is easy, add more weight or work it into a superset of swings (with the same weight).

3) Kettlebell Swing (Single or Double Arm)

Kettlebell swings are an excellent exercise for the entire body, particularly the core and the lower body. The power in your swing actually comes from your hips (in a hip-thrust motion), making this a powerful movement that forces your body to find stability as the weight swings out and up. If you're new to kettlebell training, use a lighter weight for this exercise to get your form down (for example, 10-15 lbs for women or 20-25 lbs for men). You'll find that, the heavier the weight, the more you'll engage the hip-thrust to get the weight up - but don't go too heavy until you feel comfortable and secure in the movement.

• Hold a medium-heavy kettlebell in both hands with legs hip-width apart.
• Begin with some warm up swings to get a feel for the weight and the movement. Start by squatting and taking the weight between the legs (arms should touch the inner thighs). Keep the torso upright and the abs braced.
• At the bottom of the movement shift your weight back and thrust up through the hips to bring the weight up to about hip level.
• After practicing a few swings, continue swinging the weight up higher until you get to shoulder level, squatting down and powering through the hips up each time you swing the weight up.
• At the top of the movement, the kettlebell should feel weightless. Use your hips and legs to move the weight, rather than your arms.

Continue swinging for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps.
For added intensity, and if you feel comfortable, you can take the weight all the way up over the head.


If you're putting together your own workout, you can try the exercises listed above using the following training guidelines:

Intensity: Vary the intensity or modify the exercises by changing the lever length (e.g., hold the weight closer to the body) or changing the speed of the movement (e.g., master the technique with slower movements)
Weight: Start with a light weight and consider keeping a variety of weights handy. Different weights may be necessary for each exercise
Reps: 8-16
Sets: 1-3 sets
Frequency: 1-2 times per week, then slowly increase to 3-4 times a week.
Rest: 15-60 seconds between sets


Most importantly, have fun!

Source of text & images: ehow & about

Do You Have The Right Combination For Fat Burning?

As most of you already know, training with kettlebells is a fantastic and efficient way to shed unwanted fat. Within weeks of starting to use kettlebells, you should feel a difference in your strength and cardiovascular abilities. You may even notice your clothes getting looser right away. Then months will go by and your changes may start slowing down, but this generally happens with most exercise programs. You might start wondering what has happened since you are still working just as hard. Have you hit a plateau? If so, you just might be missing some important elements when it comes to reaching your fat loss goals.


Let's start with proper nutrition. Here are some quick and easy fat loss tips to get you on your way to a healthier, leaner body:

• Drink 16oz of quality water first thing in the morning and then wait at least 15 minutes before eating your first meal. This will get your system recharged and moving again.
• Focus on eating high quality foods throughout the day in snack size portions, rather than 2-3 large meals. You will speed up your metabolism by spreading your snacks/meals throughout the day. Eating a large meal during the day can easily zap your energy and cause you to lose focus.
• Always keep a piece of fruit, such as an organic apple or pear, and raw almonds or walnuts with you. It's very easy to be running errands and all of a sudden realize your blood sugar is low. Keeping this type of healthy snack with you will save you from indulging in all the unhealthy temptations that surround us everyday.

Image courtesy: Royce International

If you are not eating what your body truly needs, then you could really be slowing down your fat loss. Healthy nutrition counts for at least 75 percent when it comes to sculpting and toning your body. I am not a believer in calorie counting. All calories are different and some burn faster than others. Basing a "diet" only on calories will not be effective in keeping your hard earned lean muscles and shedding the fat. With a sudden low calorie diet you will initially lose some weight and slow your metabolism down, but you will end up gaining more weight back in the long run. If you concentrate on the quality of your food your body will know what to do with it.

The second element to fat loss is just the right amount of interval work. When working with kettlebells it can be challenging to set up your own workout. Some people are so accustomed to thinking that they can only achieve fat loss with long winded and boring cardio sessions. When in reality, the people with the sculpted bodies, such as boxers, martial artists, and many kettlebell gurus, are doing intense intervals in different segments.

The best way to burn fat while increasing your lean muscle mass is to combine good nutrition with a training program that will keep you motivated. The beauty of incorporating kettlebell training is that it's quick, efficient, and fun.


There are many people who really have a hard time sticking to a strict training program. Lots of people want to increase their overall strength, lose fat, increase cardio power and have more energy without dreading the planned workout. If you are one of those people who don't have a whole lot of time and just want the thinking done for you, check out a few of the workouts below.


These simple workouts can be done in less than 30 minutes and all you need is a timer and at least one kettlebell. Make sure you are working to your potential. Don't be afraid to go heavy since the longest you will be working at one time is for 30 seconds. Proper form is imperative so don't be stupid!

 The Ultimate Double Fat Burner – Workout 1



Set your timer for 30 seconds of work to 30 seconds of rest. Go through each exercise and repeat for a total of 3 -5 rounds.

Double Swings
Burpees
Double Squat Press
Double High Pulls
Double Snatches



The Sculptor – Workout 2


A.
One Arm Rows Left 30 sec  [see video below]
One Arm Rows Right 30 sec
Kettlebell Swings 60 sec

Rest 30 and repeat for 2 rounds

B.
Back Lunge (Right Leg, Holding Kettlebell) 30 sec
Back Lunge (Left Leg, holding kettlebell) 30 sec
Alternating Swings 60 sec


Rest 30 sec Repeat for 2 rounds


C.
Plank 60 sec
Pullover to crunch 60 sec
Russian Twists 30 sec




Keep in mind the perfect workout does not last forever. What might work for you right now will probably not work for you in 6 weeks since your body and mind are always adapting. It's important to keep challenging your body by changing the weights you use as well as the intensity, duration, rest periods, sets, and exercises. If you have fun with your workouts, train smart and focus on high quality foods, your body will ultimately be the fat burning machine you want it to be!

Author: Lauren Brooks Miller

Kettlebells: The Fountain Of Youth?

“The good news is that, while you can’t turn back the clock, you can do something to affect your biological age – the toll the years take on your body and your health…Strength training is really the key...” 
Tufts University Health Nutrition Letter (May 2006)

For many years, the heart and therefore aerobic exercise were thought to be practically synonymous with a long and healthy life. In stark contrast, weight training was considered to be purely cosmetic, but following research on ageing, strength training has replaced aerobics on its pedestal, becoming the senior partner in combating the ageing process, in combination with cardiac and flexibility training. (Note: The term “cardiac” as opposed to “aerobic” training).


Biomarkers and the Positive Influence of Strength Training

If a person did not know how old they were in calendar years, biomarkers would be the things that would indicate their age. Over the years an overall weakening of the body occurs, which is caused by a change in body composition in favour of fat but at the expense of muscle. (What is a biomarker?)

Muscle mass (the 1st biomarker) is responsible for the vitality of all the body’s systems. Once muscle mass is lost, the 2nd biomarker physical strength follows. This weakening of the body reduces the activity levels with a corresponding loss of balance, reduction in mobility and the frailty so often seen in the elderly today – like ‘toppling dominoes’ the remaining biomarkers soon follow.

However, when muscle and strength are maintained; the other biomarkers are likewise maintained, thus weight training was found to be the key controllable physiological factor associated with rejuvenating the 10 biomarkers of the ageing process:

• Muscle Mass
• Strength
• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
• Body Fat Percentage (BF%)
• Aerobic Capacity
• Blood-sugar Tolerance
• Cholesterol/High-Density-Lipoprotein Ratio
• Blood Pressure
• Bone Density
• Ability to Regulate Body Temperature

Image taken from: Ironworks Fe

In addition to strength training, cardiac and flexibility training ‘rounded off’ the bold concept of regular exercise being the key to a healthy and rewarding old age. The latter are important, but strength is the crux to staying young longer and it also increases the effectiveness of cardiac exercise.

As their body-fat increases the average middle-aged person attempts to lose the additional weight through diet and aerobic type exercise. This is not good enough – because it also reduces their muscle mass. The aim must be to improve body composition – the ratio of ‘biologically active’ muscle to ‘biologically inactive’ fat. Increasing the active muscle mass raises the basal metabolic rate (the 3rd biomarker), because more muscle burns more calories. Consistent and progressive strength training will increase strength and regain muscle mass, even past the age of 45 – regardless of the present condition of the body.

In terms of losing body-fat, the key is the burning up of the body’s carbohydrate stores, which can be done both ‘easy and slow’, or ‘hard and fast’. After exercise the body revs up the body’s fat burning engines in order to save what precious carbohydrate stores remain. However, in addition to this ‘revving up-fat burning’ effect, ‘hard and fast’ exercise produces Lactic Acid, which in turn stimulates the release of Growth Hormones. These hormones increase both the fat-burning and muscle building processes, especially combined with the Testosterone boost derived from pure strength training!

In addition to traditionally held ‘fat-burning’ myth, aerobic exercise is often performed for heart health. Yet another all-to-common mistake, as the heart has all the endurance it will ever need and the biological (muscular) adaptations to long, slow distance type ‘exercise’ of improved Oxygen transport and processing also produce an associated down-sizing of the muscles, including the heart. The heart need ‘strengthening’ and this is achieved using bursts of high intensity efforts, which make it beat both harder and faster – to near maximal rates. Obviously, such training needs to be built up to gradually and ‘The Kettlebell Bible’ contains the ‘Heart Health Interval Training Programme’.


The Three Keys

Strength, cardiac and flexibility training are the 3 keys to health and fitness. So, do you need an expensive gym membership in order to conduct a programme consisting of separate weight based exercises, aerobic work on machines and a yoga class – NO!

All you need is a kettlebell. During the workouts, your strength, then stamina and finally flexibility are developed within a 45 to 60 minute all-in-one session performed with a single kettlebell, in the convenience and privacy of the home.


A Health Span That Matches Your Life Span – The Fountain of Youth

Making the right lifestyle changes early on can greatly improve your odds of approaching the ideal: a health span that almost matches your life span. Lifestyle changes include a holistic exercise programme incorporating strength, cardiac and flexibility training and sound, sensible nutrition – but to be effective any changes must be gradual, progressive, time-efficient, consistent and convenient – the kettlebell could be your fountain of youth!

Source: Somerset Sambo
Author : Rob Beauchamp

Kettlebell Workouts Burn Calories FAST!

Study Backs Up Claims That Swinging Kettlebells Pays Fitness Dividends

A centuries-old piece of cast iron exercise equipment may be the latest fitness craze for would-be strongmen, but a new study shows it still delivers the goods.

The cannonball-shaped cast iron orbs called kettlebells were originally developed by Russian strongmen in the early 1700s to quickly build strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility. Once relegated to a dusty corner of the weight room, researchers now say kettlebells are experiencing a resurgence in popularity; kettlebell-themed fitness classes are now being offered in gyms across the country.

But perhaps they are best known for helping bulk up the physique of actor Gerard Butler, who used kettlebell workouts to train for his role of King Leonidas of Sparta in the movie 300.

Gerald Butler

Although many claims have been made about the effectiveness of kettlebell workouts, researchers say this is the first modern study to examine the fitness benefits of kettlebells.

Kettlebell enthusiasts "make these all-encompassing claims about increasing your muscular strength, endurance and aerobic capacity with kettlebells, like if you do this that's all you need to do," says researcher John Porcari, PhD of the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, in the report, published in ACE FitnessMatters. "So we wanted to look and see how much of an aerobic workout you really do get and how many calories you burn."

The study involved 10 men and women between the ages of 29-46 who performed a typical kettlebell workout by doing kettlebell swinging and lift exercises to a certain rhythm during a 20-minute period. All were experienced with the use of kettlebells.

The participants' fitness levels were measured before and during the workout by measuring heart rate, oxygen consumption, and blood lactate.

The results showed that the average participant burned about 20 calories per minute during the kettlebell workout, which equates to 400 calories during a typical 20-minute kettlebell workout.

Researchers say that's equivalent to running a six-minute mile or cross-country skiing uphill at a fast pace. They credit the rapid calorie burn to the interval training format of kettlebell workouts.

In addition, the researchers write that the participants achieved exercise heart rate and maximum oxygen uptake, suggesting that kettlebells provide a more intense workout than standard weight lifting.

"This is good news for people who are looking for a very good resistance-training workout that will also help them lose weight," says researcher Chad Schnettler, MS, also of the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, in the report. "For people who may not have a lot of time, and need to get in a workout as quickly as possible, kettlebells definitely provide that."

SOURCES: Schnettler, C. ACE FitnessMatters, January/February 2010; vol 16: pp pp 6-10. 

21 Reason Why Strongman Bud Jeffries Trains With Kettlebells

The kettlebell is an old weight that’s had most of its life in the Baltic States. It’s split off from the dumbbell at the beginnings of manufactured steel weights. The dumbbell went west and the kettlebell went east. Regardless of where you think it might have come from (some people say Russia, some say Mongolia, some the Celtic countries), it’s been reintroduced to America and the rest of the world by extraordinary trainer Pavel Tsatsouline.


Here’s a look at some of the reasons I use it and the benefits to be had by this training.


1. It works. It’s the real deal. When they were first being re-introduced many people scoffed at them, because they didn’t understand the methodology behind them and just blatantly said they weren’t anything special. They were wrong. After personally testing it I can tell you this. It is definitely one of the top 10, all-time tools for physical strength endurance and incredible workouts.


2. The kettlebell allows you to get both muscle stimulating strength work, explosive speed building work and unbelievable endurance work all at the same time. That means it fits perfectly within our alternative conditioning style. Stimulate the muscles, and blow the cardio out of the water without taking away from strength.


3. The kettlebell stimulates tremendous abdominal contraction because of the mostly explosive conditioning movements that you use it with. That means you’re working your abs even when you’re not working your abs. Because of this tremendous abdominal contraction and coordinated breathing it provides a very high level of conditioning especially for the fighter types.


4. The kettlebell balances the need for extreme contraction that you would have with high-level strength work and relaxation that you have with high-level endurance work. i.e., You’re super tight when you lift a heavy weight, but loose when you do conditioning. The kettlebell alternates periods of intense contraction and controlled relaxation to give you a superior workout that melds into both the strength world as well as the endurance world.


5. The shape of the kettlebell lends itself to unique exercises and its odd center of gravity forces you to do more work, stabilizing and creating explosive movement with the bell. The shape also allows you to use it comfortably in exercises that are almost impossible with other implements and to do. Olympic lifts safely with a very small learning curve. It’s much easier on the wrists and shoulders to rack kettlebell cleans and to hold for front squats than it is to use a barbell. It’s much faster to learn one-arm kettlebell snatches than barbell snatches and just as potent an exercise.

Pic courtesy of Crossfit

6. Many of the exercises including the main learning exercise of the kettlebell, “The Swing,” are very general in nature. What that means is that when you do them your whole body works together spreading the fatigue out over many muscle groups so that you can drive your conditioning to the absolute highest level. You’re not all that likely to stop from burn in a particular muscle group, but you are likely to beg for mercy, because every muscle in your body is screaming as well as your heart and lungs.


7. Ballistic movements or explosive movements that are applied to many kettlebell exercises will take your conditioning to a very high level and are very real-world in their application. Almost all sport is based on fast movement and fast movement recruits more muscle fibers and heart and lung involvement for a tougher workout.


8. The methodology behind kettlebells is unique and therefore lends itself to many physical attributes. Normal western progression is to progress to a limited number of reps and continually add weight to an exercise. Kettlebell progression can include weight progression, but is often based on progression of repetitions or to a harder exercise. Which means you can get killer strength and endurance work without necessarily having to use the heaviest weight you can find. You just tweak the exercise for the result that you want.


9. Many of the exercises used in kettlebell training are powerful grip builders. This is something that carries over to both the strength and endurance world and is lacked in many endurance exercises. SO you can be working on your cardio and building some muscle and at the same time getting great grip work.


10. Kettlebells allow you to work the back hard without necessarily having to train it heavy. This is hugely useful for high level lifters as well as the average guy. If you spend a ton of time doing ridiculously heavy squats, sometimes its not the smartest thing in the world do to heavy load-based exercises that also work the back. So you can get plenty of back strength work without heavily loading your spine by using the kettlebell. For the average guy that’s going to mean a stronger and more injury resistant back, just like it does for the heavy lifter. Also many conditioning exercises don’t really hit the back muscles all that well, but the kettlebell does.

Pic courtesy of Crossfit CLE

11. The kettlebell mixes well with other implements and can be a tremendous assistance exercise for barbell or strongman lifting as well as adding conditioning in to any workout that you do. Lots of high level strongmen and powerlifters are now using them in conjunction with their other training for increased strength and stamina. Including and not limited to the West Side crew, Donny Thompson, Jesse Marunde, and the Diesel Crew.


12. Kettlebells allow you to do some unique exercises, many of which at the same time allow you to build joint strength and flexibility along with strength and conditioning. Even the basic swing has a great hamstring stretch and other exercises such as the windmill, and single leg deadlift also build massive flexible strength.


13. There is an implement similar to the kettlebell in almost all the real, hard core training cultures of ancient times. In the first paragraph of this article I said that certain people think the kettlebell came from different areas of the world. That’s partially because there’s a kettlebell type implement in Russia, Mongolia, Scotland, used also in the Shaolin Chinese Kung Fu training, Japanese Martial Arts, etc.


14. Many of the people we would consider legends of the old time strongmen trained with barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells using them all to great advantage. If people like Arthur Saxon; Herman Goerner and many of those other strength giants thought they were great to use, then why shouldn’t we be using them?


15. Some very hardcore people in America and all around the world have used and are using these kettlebells. Not mentioning the powerlifters and strongmen that I listed above, but I’ve seen pictures of improvised kettlebells in the training of none other than Bob Peoples (a lifter from the 40′s and 50′s who dead lifted 7251bs at a bodyweight of 181), and was a mentor to Paul Anderson. There are also pictures of Vasily Alexiev, the great Russian super-heavy, training with kettlebells. My friend Dennis Rogers told me he used to do part of his arm wrestling strength training with an improvised kettlebell. John Brookfield also uses them all of the time. You can’t get much higher recommendation than these guys.

Pic courtesy of PushMore Fitness Centre

16. Some of the most brilliant training minds and incredible athletes in the US today are using them. Including, but not limited to Steve Cotter, Mike Mahler, Jeff Martone, Brett Jones, Dave Whitley and Steve Maxwell.


17. They are a fun, addictive little toy that’s also good for you. They have been some very enjoyable workouts for me and once you start swinging that little thing around sometimes its hard to stop.


18. They’re simple. Like anything else, the deep nuances of kettlebell training are just like the rest of athletic training. Even the pros work on constantly keeping their technique tight, but you can be using them safely and effectively in five minutes. I taught my eight-year old son and my completely un-athletic sisters how to do some basic exercises in five minutes.


19. Within our style of training the use of the kettlebell makes for some of the most powerful strength and conditioning combos as well as some pre-exhaustion style workouts for better strength, endurance or more powerful striking and grappling.


20. For people who don’t have space or time or want a real fitness based workout without going sort of “to the Dark Side,” of really heavy lifting, kettlebells might be the ultimate workout. Even for the more hardcore guys but especially for the beginners they help to distill high level concepts into simple terms and exercises. This is one of the most brilliant things about Pavel Tsatsouline’s work.


21. Even though they’re safe and simple to use, they’re just scary enough to the average gym mullet to keep them at a safe distance away from the real training.


There you have it! If you haven’t given kettlebells a try you might be missing one of the key ingredients to taking yourself to the next level. Look for a kettlebell instructional DVD from us in the near future. If you haven’t gotten Pavel, Jeff, Mike, Steve or … uh … Steve’s materials yet, well it’s all bad to the bone stuff.


Source: Strongerman: Who is Bud Jeffries?

Potential Energy

Potential Energy is a term commonly used in physics. It basically means that an object has stored energy as a result of its position. I will illuminate an application of its use in Kettlebell Lifting in what some may find an unlikely place.

Ideally, our resting positions utilize our skeletal systems. We rest with the kettlebell on the hip of the hand, the elbow over the hip (iliac crest), and our weight is shifted more towards the heels at rest provided that we have worked on our flexibility. We do this to take the stress off our muscles so that we may prolong our sets, but we do this for another reason; to maximize our potential energy.


When you are standing with the bells in the rack position, your weight is likely on your heels to support the bells. This is also potential energy. The potential energy exists because you will shift towards the balls of the feet to extend the knees. If you are fluid (without pause) when shifting the weight, your first bump will be more powerful and will require less effort. In essence, it creates a wave effect with the first bump: the energy doesn’t stop once you start shifting the weight and this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy; the energy of motion.


The same analogy can be drawn with the snatch. At the back of the swing the weight will be on the heels, and the legs will be straight or close to straight, as the bell moves forward, the weight should shift to the balls of the feet so that you can extend the knees in a similar fashion as you would in the first bump in the jerk. This “shifting” is energy and it is energy that you can use in conjunction with extending the knees. This will help you create a more powerful and effortless ascension. Furthermore, it really reduces the chance that you will pull with your hand too early out of the backswing. Therefore, it will stave off grip fatigue and reduce the chances of hand tears.


The key point is to be aware of this potential energy. Shifting your weight from the heels to the balls of your feet creates this energy that can be utilized for a powerful first bump in the jerk, and much more effortless ascension in the snatch.

If you start the Jerk with bent knees before the first bump, then you’ve reduced the potential energy of the first bump. The same thing can be said for the snatch. If you don’t shift the weight to your heels at the back of the swing, then you won’t shift the weight back towards the balls of the feet as the weight swings forward. Consequently, the timing with which you extend the knees to engage the legs will be less than optimal because you won’t take full advantage of the swing and the pendulum effect.


Awareness of your position, so that you have potential energy is very crucial to your success as a lifter. The more I watch Valery Fedorenko and other elite lifters, and the more I practice, I realize this potential energy concept is a huge piece in the lifting puzzle. Beginning lifters stand to really benefit from the application of this concept. It will help them immensely with their timing and execution. They will become more powerful and athletic and will add reps to their sets. Experienced folks, who are unaware or haven't considered this concept, may find an immediate boost in their power with little or no additional effort.


This "potential energy" concept as I have described in kettlebell lifting is applicable to athletics in general. Weightlifters use it. When an athlete like a football or soccer player quickly changes a direction they are using it. I personally noticed that my speed and power with my kickboxing improved once I became aware of how to shift my weight. The bottom line is that whether you are using Kettlebells to improve your conditioning and athleticism for your sport, or trying to improve you numbers in Kettlebell sport, paying attention to your potential energy can make a significant difference in your performance.


Source: Catherine Imes