Strong is the new Sexy: Build Explosive Power & Strength with Kettlebells

STRONG ATHLETES

When it comes down to it, Crossfit is firstly about fitness, progress and health. Looking good is a welcome secondary effect that naturally follows eating well and training your mind and body to become fitter, stronger and more resilient.

‘Everyone does Crossfit for different reasons, but there is no denying the powerful effect the sport has had on shifting the focus away from aesthetics, and towards results and ability instead.’

STRONG IS THE NEW SEXY

This catch phrase has become common, but it exemplifies this huge shift in attitude. Crossfit is playing a huge part in bringing about this change in perspective. In Boxes all around the world, bodies are defined by what they do, not just by how they look, and this is the idea that lies at the heart of the idea that ‘Strong is the new sexy’.

So to help this highly positive angle on this issue of body image, here are 3 full body Kettlebell exercises to:

• make you strong,
• toughen you up,
• condition your body,
• strengthen your core
• and increase your engine.

Oh and yes, they will leave you looking damn good in the process. These are for all Crossfitters, male and female alike, and will punish everyone equally.

BUILDING EXPLOSIVE POWER, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING WITH KETTLEBELLS

COMBINING STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

Kettlebells are excellent at combining these two aspects of training. Often, pure strength training (low reps of progressively heavier weights over extended periods of time) is separated from longer conditioning workouts. This is a great way to train to develop pure strength in a controlled manner, but working with Kettlebells allows you to test and develop strength differently, in a way that can also incorporate metabolic conditioning in a new way. Dan John’s 10,000 Swing workout is a great example of this.

HIGH BALLISTIC REPETITION

Kettlebells are ideal for shifting large volumes of weight very quickly. Imagine a 10 min EMOM of 20 Kettlebell Snatches with a 20kg bell. The total overhead workload at the end of the workout will be 4000 kg!

AWAY FROM THE BARBELL: TEST THE BODY IN A NEW WAY

Working with whole body compound lifts such as Snatches or Cleans, Kettlebells force you to move in an alternative way than you normally would with a barbell, which becomes an excellent new test of your strength and ability to adapt. This has the added benefit of acting as an accessory exercise for the main Olympic lifts, and the major movements that they are comprised from.

For example, think of the movement behind a Clean with a loaded barbell. Practicing to create explosive power with a kettlebell – right from the beginning of the movement – will, in turn, improve your ability to generate more force from the outset of the barbell lift. Including Kettlebell Cleans into WODs will allow you to mix up your workouts, and have fun with a more uncommon type of lift that will also improve your other lifts.

KETTLEBELLS AND MOVEMENT

Kettlebells are incredibly effective for working full body movements. In Crossfit, as we know, functionality is the key. When we perform an exercise, we combine range of motion, strength and technical execution in order to successfully complete what we want to do. These 3 exercises will test your abilities in new ways, helping to identify and remedy weakness, and make you into a more rounded athlete.

It is always important to concentrate on perfecting any movement first, before starting to add serious weight. Real strength, conditioning and results will always follow great form, smart programming and hard work.

FULL BODY KETTLEBELL EXERCISES

1. Turkish Get Up

Nice and old school, this is an excellent full body exercise that will put your strength, coordination and mobility to the test.

Technique

Start by lying on your back on the floor. Press the kettelbell vertically up into the air and hold it with a straight arm.

Without letting your arm bend, or allowing the kettebell to drop, stand up. Move slowly and take each stage of the movement at a time. The phases of the movement are broken up into the following parts:

1. The Press
2. Onto the elbow
3. Onto the hand
4. Onto the knee and hand
5. Lunge position
6.  Stand Up

Once fully upright, holding the kettlebell pressed above your head, return to the starting position by reversing the sequence of movements.

Grip

Hold the handle with the bell resting behind your hand, in contact with the outer side of your forearm. Also make sure that the handle runs across the palm of your hand, not higher up on the calluses (You’re a Crossfitter, they’re probably there!).

Speed

Take this slow, and keep yourself tight to help maintain a strong centre of gravity throughout the full movement. Once you are up to your feet, try to keep them about hip width apart. Watch the kettlebell during the movement to help keep it balanced.

2. Kettlebell Snatches

The Snatch should be a fluid and smooth motion. Make sure that you are confident with Swings and Cleans, and the best way to learn is to again reverse the whole movement. Start at the top and work backwards until you are familiar with the mechanics.

Technique

Firstly Clean and Press a Kettlebell overhead and end with the palm of your hand facing away from you, and your knuckles towards the sky. This is the final position of the Snatch. Now we work backwards.

The Drop

Do this with a slightly bent arm, and remember that this is not a big swing. The hand should stay in the same position relative to your wrist throughout the full range of movement, and there is no rotation of the Kettlebell between the top position and the resting position on the floor between your legs.

Hand Positioning

At the bottom of the movement your palm will be facing behind you as you grip the handle of the Kettlebell, at the top it will face forwards.

Now reverse the movement and start the Kettlebell Snatch from the beginning. Remember that there is a point where the bell itself will flip over the hand as you propel the weight upwards. To make this part of the movement more effective, Try ‘punching’ your hand through to flip the bell quicker so that it spends more time stable against your arm.

3. Kettlebell Cleans

A great way to understand the movement of the Kettlebell swing is to think of it as a swing that ends in the final Clean position.

Technique

Same as learning the Snatch, work backwards. Begin by gripping the Kettelebell with the bell resting behind your arm, and your palm facing away from the weight. Tuck your elbow close to your side and turn your thumb slightly inwards to face your chest. This is the final resting position of the Clean. Practice this with a light Kettlebell so that you understand how it feels.

Tip the weight forward and then swing the bell downwards. The bell itself will flip over your hand as it moves into the swing. At this point it is vital to maintain the swing motion that accompanies the normal Kettlebell Swing movement, and not let the weight drop in the way that you would with a barbell Clean.

Hip drive

Using your hip drive is an essential part of the Kettlebell Clean, and you want to generate as much force as possible through this motion.

Now do the movement normally. Make sure to drive with your hips and swing the Kettlebell up into the final Clean position instead of jerking the weight upwards then flipping the weight onto your chest.

Crossfit girl performing kettlebell swing © Suprfit

Kettlebells are great for improving strength and conditioning © Suprfit

Assorted Suprfit Kettlebells © Suprfit

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