Hold It Right There, Practice and Circuits – a Kettlebell Workout

Here’s a version of a fun one we did this week in small group – it’s been modified to be a little more general – we worked on some specific stuff in the actual class related to the progress of those in attendence.  ANYWAY – since if you train with me, it means you’ll learn to loooooooooooooove kettlebell cleans.   Or, maybe will give up on hating them.  More yabbering about why you need to be training kettlebell cleans is located on a previous workout: Tough Love for the Kettlebell Clean.

Anyway – back to the fun – start with your favorite joint mobility warm up, warm up with a few basic 2 hand swings – then grab a pair of matching moderate kettlebells (that you can press 5-8 times, we won’t be doing that, but you’ll see why).  If in doubt, start light – you can always switch up 🙂  You can use a gymboss for the first part, or watch the second hand of a nearby clock (just don’t crane your neck to see it, that would be horrible).  Rest when necessary, with the right intent, this can get intense.

3-4 rounds of:

• 5 double kettlebell swings
• 1 double kettlebell clean and HOLD for 15-30 seconds, keeping abs tight, engaging lats, squeezing handles – this is not a restful thing to do.  If this feels easy, you aren’t trying hard enough – the weight should be somewhat irrelevant.  After safely parking the kettlebells, shake this off a bit – “fast and loose” as Pavel would say.
• 5 double kettlebell swings
• 1 double kettlebell clean and press, keeping the kettlebells overhead and HOLD for 15-30 seconds (keep it SAFE) engage the lats, keep abs tight, squeeze the handles.  Remember, if you break the handles of your Dragon Door kettlebells by squeezing them to death, they’ll send you a new ones.  Or so goes the joke – you’re not going to hurt that solid iron.  Safely park the kettlebells, and shake it out again.
• 5 double kettlebell swings
• 1 double kettlebell clean, then 5 front squats – focusing on form.
• Rest

Switch it up – 3 rounds of:

• 30 seconds spiderman plank
• 30 seconds kettlebell rows right side
• 30 seconds kettlebell rows left side
• 30 seconds halo or hot potato
• 30 seconds rest

A little homage to Program Minimum:

• Get up with the kettlebell in the right hand, then 10 2 hand kettlebell swings
• Get up on the left side, then 10 2 hand kettlebell swings

repeating twice, and finishing up with joint mobility.