Kettlebell Training: a Moment to Learn, a Lifetime to Master

While there are so many more online resources and coaches out there now than when I first got interested in kettlebells (way back in 2008!), getting started with kettlebell training is still not an easy endeavor! There’s a lot of GREAT info out there now, but there’s a lot of confusing and not-so-great stuff out there as well. I guess this is pretty much the way of the world/internet these days! But for a beginner this can be unnecessarily frustrating.

With this in mind, I’ve challenged myself to start working on a few deep dive technique courses (keep me accountable, people) which is part of why you haven’t heard from me in about a month. The other reason is that I recently led an RKC instructor course in Raleigh, NC and was making the preparations for that last month as well–on top of a heap of work stuff etc. I’m not one to make excuses, but suffice it to say April was overwhelming. But I’m back – and have a few new insights to share over the course of this month. Leading an RKC Workshop is such an honor, and the materials presented are so that we turn out incredible instructors. These instructors must be able to not only perform the moves themselves, but communicate how to do them–in such a way that their students are able to fully understand.

Focusing On The Kettlebell Technique Basics.

So, if you are a kettlebell beginner – GREAT, you need the basics! If you’re a long time kettlebell enthusiast – GREAT, you need the basics! If you’re an instructor – GREAT, you need the basics! …You can see where I’m going here.

I had the honor earlier this week of teaching someone new (referral from another local client) the kettlebell swing. His friend had clued him in that he wouldn’t just show up and get things all nailed down in one day. This is important to remember in our “instant” world full of “one minute” life hacks. It sounds cliché, but I’m still working on my kettlebell swings… yes, as a Senior RKC Instructor now some 11+ years later. Hardstyle Kettlebell technique makes sense more when we compare it to how people practice chess, Go, or martial arts like Tai Chi and Kung-Fu where there are forms or kata – or even games like chess or go – easy to learn, but take a lifetime to perfect. We’re constantly working to get better. There’s no end point, there’s no day you wake up and say “yes, I have this mastered… NEXT!” The student I most dread is the one that opens the convo with “I already know all this!” Fortunately that’s not the sort of person who usually seeks me out for training or instruction.

Often though there’s this point in time where someone has just started learning the movements – which might be pretty new – (looking at you, hip hinge). And at first there are a lot of people who need to work UP to doing a kettlebell swing. Fortunately there’s so many lead up drills–and supporting drills which will forever be useful regardless of the student’s fitness level. For the first few weeks, someone may work with an instructor towards swings, but then not be comfortable enough with swings to practice them fully at home just yet – and that’s fine too. In fact, Lauren Bedosky at Experience Life Magazine contacted me for this exact type of workout to share with her readers.

Here’s a beginner-friendly kettlebell workout idea for you to modify as you may see fit:

If you’re just getting started – or just starting back, give yourself plenty of time for active rest (keep MOVING even it it just means marching in place). Kettlebell ballistics are INTENSE – even and especially at the beginning!

Mobility-Focused Example Workout for Fit Beginner:

Joint Mobility Sequence (here’s a VERY quick example of a sequence I use A LOT)

Warmup circuit 3x:

• 3x Pump stretch
• “crawl to squat”
• 3x hinge with stick drill (don’t speed these up – we’re calibrating)
• 3x KB deadlift

Main Circuit (Hip Hinge stick drill again, but to make sure the patterning stays on course) 3-5x through depending on time/energy etc.:

• RKC Plank 10-15 seconds (or count)
• 3x hinge with stick drill
• 5x KB swings or kettlebell swings lead up drill (for example the deadlift, deadlift-drag, start-stop (dead-stop) swings, etc.)
• 5x slow to medium paced push-ups with very strict form
• 3x Goblet squats
• Active rest as needed

Get-Up Practice – set a timer for 3 mins and focus on the setup to push and roll to elbow, then switch sides

Joint mobility sequence to close

More Kettlebell Tutorials and Workout Ideas:

This website has grown into quite a behemoth, and while the search function drastically improved when we re-platformed it from an outdated version of Drupal to WordPress over 2 years ago, I still need to continue honing it in a bit more (gosh, it’s like there’s a pattern here). With that in mind I’ve hand picked some posts below which will be of interest to people who are either getting started or who are revisiting the kettlebell basics. And frankly after the year we’ve all had, a revisit of the basics is probably in order. They WORK. It’s incredible.

• I just learned the kettlebell swing, now what? (Includes review of Hip Hinge)
• How to swing heavy kettlebells – with video tutorial (The secret: you swing them the same way as any weight kettlebell!)
• Three Tips for Swinging Heavy Kettlebells from Someone Light
• Dan John’s How and Why of the 1 Kettlebell Workout (Many workout ideas starting 1/2 way down the page! Read the whole post though)