You’ve mastered the basic kettlebell exercises (swing, TGU, squat, clean, press, and snatch).  You’ve met some of your initial kettlebell training goals and are ready to take your KB training to the next level.

Challenge yourself in a new way and add some variety to your workouts with double kettlebell exercises!

A few unique qualities and benefits of double kettlebell exercises:

1. More work/total weight lifted in same time frame = more calories burned and faster fat loss
2. Ability to utilize more total weight during a given exercise = faster muscle gains
3. More core involvement = stronger abs

So for today’s post, I’ve come up with a list of my top five double kettlebell exercises.  This list is by no means exhaustive (I actually came up with a list of seventeen of ’em off the top of my head before writing this) – but these are the moves you should master and incorporate first into your workouts before learning any other more advanced/exotic ones.

Today I’ll go over my top five double kettlebell exercises with you, and next post I’ll put together a couple of double KB workouts for you to try using these exercises.  In the meantime, read the exercise descriptions, watch the short video, and start practicing!

Video Transcript

If you’ve mastered all the basics – the squat, the Turkish get-up, the swing, the clean, the press, and the snatch with one kettlebell – you might want some variety and extra challenge to your existing kettlebell workout program. You can do some double kettlebell drills.

So today I’m going to go over the top five with you and give you some basic coaching points on each!

Our first exercise with two kettlebells will be the double kettlebell swing. This is going to be identical in mechanics to your normal kettlebell swing.  Just a couple variations – wide stance with the feet, you’re going to turn the kettlebells in slightly at the bottom. So you get a nice smooth transition and your palms are going to be facing the ground at the top. That’s your number one double kettlebell exercise.

Number two is the double kettlebell squat. We’re going to get into a wide stance, clean the ‘bells back, bring them up to the rack position so your thumbs are touching your collarbones, forearms straight up and down. Bring your stance in a little bit and we’re going to do the double kettlebell squat.

From here, our third one is the double kettlebell press. So you’re going to be in the same strong rack position, and we’re going to do our press with two kettlebells at the same time.

Number four is the double kettlebell clean. Same coaching points as our single kettlebell swing. Little bit wider stance, so we have room for the bells to clear.

Our fifth one is the renegade row. This is one of my favorites. It starts with a wide grip push-up, you get in the push-up position, do a push-up and then shift your weight to one side. You’re going to do a row with one ‘bell. The key with this one is to do your push-up and then be able to shift your weight. So you want to be able to pick up your hand and do your row. A common mistake with that one, if you don’t shift your weight over enough to one side, you don’t tighten up the abs enough, you don’t engage the glutes and tighten up the quads, and get tight enough for maximum benefit.

To sum up, you can add some variety into your existing kettlebell program and challenge yourself in a brand new way with double kettlebell exercises. Stay tuned for next time … I’ll share a couple of double kettlebell workouts you can do using the exercises I talked about in today’s article.

Thanks, and keep training hard –

Forest Vance, Level II Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor

PS – Like this article?  Find 58 more kettlebell/body weight workouts, 95 done-for-you meal ideas, 11 full-length training videos and much more here:  === >> Kettlebell Basics Weekly Workouts

The picture above is of me, at the July 2011 RKC II, performing a kettlebell windmill.

And I’ll admit it.  Until I attended this training, I did NOT like the exercise.  It felt awkward, I didn’t know if I was doing it correctly, and it just didn’t feel like I was getting much out of it.

Then I learned how to do the exercise PROPERLY – and I quickly realized just how powerful it was for building core strength, shoulder stability and mobility, opening up the thorasic spine, “unlocking” the hips, and a whole lot more …

My goal with today’s video and article is – especially if you’re in the same boat as I was before the RKC II – to help you learn how to do the windmill properly … and to fully realize all the wonderful benefits it has to offer!

First, check out the video below to see the kettlebell windmill learning progression:

And now for some additional coaching points …

Kettlebell Windmill Progression

Weightless Windmill

Start with a ketttlebell at the instep of your foot. Your feet should be pointed to the side at approximately 45 degrees.

Poke your hip out to the side. The movement in this exercise is coming from the hip and not the torso.
Let the hand slide down the leg; tap the ‘bell and stand up.

(You’re imagining you have a kettlebell in your top hand throughout the movement here.)

Bottom-Hand Windmill

Same exact movement; now you’re simply picking up the ‘bell with your bottom hand.

Standard Windmill

Same movement – only now the KB is overhead. Arm is locked, shoulder is “packed” – same principles as the Turkish get up. Make sure you tense the glute and engage the core to stand up.

Kettlebell Windmill Workout

Now for a sample workout using the windmill … here’s one from the brand new 21 Fat Burning Kettlebell Workouts program (the exercise, in fact, is a staple of the full plan):

In conclusion, the kettlebell windmill is a great exercise – but it can be a little tricky to master.  Follow the progression outlined in this article, take your time learning, and you’ll be on your way to building strong shoulders, a back of steel, and a bulletproof core … with the the KB windmill!

Train hard and talk soon –

Forest Vance, Level II Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor

Do you feel like your form’s not quite right on some (or all) of the basic kettlebell moves?

Does your lower back ache after a KB session?

Time for a “kettlebell form re-set”.  And it all starts with the swing …

As you know, the swing forms the foundation of HardStyle kettlebell training.  Most of the more advanced moves (snatches, cleans, etc.) are built around the swing.

So whether you’re just starting out … or you’ve been training for years with KB’s … this new kettlebell swing form tips video will help you. It’s the progression I take everyone through to learn – or re-enforce the technique basics – of the kettlebell swing.  Enjoy!

(FYI, we’ll be covering tips like these in an in-person, hands-on fashion at my June 2nd Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop in Sacramento, CA … click here for more details about that if you’re interested)

Video Recap

What’s up guys, Forest here from KettlebellBasics.net. Today I want to take you through a basic progression if you are learning how to do the swing, or if you are still trying to refine your form. This is the progression I use with every single one of my clients when they are learning the swing and it is really the best way to quickly, easily, effectively get down the motion. So it is going to be a progression, we are going to start with a sumo deadlift, we are going to go to a half swing, and then go to a full swing.

I am just going to demonstrate each exercise for you here.

The first one is going to be your sumo deadlift and what you are going to do is imagine there is a wall behind you. You can actually do this drill with the wall behind you to emphasize hinging at the hips and punching your hips back towards the wall. It’s going to look like this, you are going to start with the bell even with the toes, hinge at the hips, grab the bell, stand up as tall as possible, tap the ground, and you repeat. Do 5 of those. After you have done 5, you are going to continue and now try to touch the bell down, even with the heels. This is the same motion, we are just loading up the hips more now, bringing the bell back further. Now what you are going to do is tighten up. So after you have done 5 and 5, you are going to imagine like you are doing a standing plank; tighten the quads, tighten the glutes, brace abs, chest up shoulders back, flex the triceps totally tight. This is what you are going to feel like at your locked out position in the swing.

We are going to go into a half swing. Hike the bell back and just let the weight fly up. And then, you are going to progress to a full swing. That is your progression, you have your sumo deadlift, your half swing, and your full swing.

So just real quick, a couple of things that can go wrong with this. Number one, make sure the bell isn’t going too close to the ground. So as you swing, a very common mistake is to let the bell go close to the ground here. Hold the bell tight to the body as it swings back, imagine you are throwing the bell through stomach and getting your hips out of the way at the last minute. Number two thing, is make sure you are not doing a squat and front raise, make sure you aren’t squating and raising, but hike pass and then you are snapping the hips, letting the weight fly up at the top. Those are two really common mistakes that I see. The third one is to make sure you aren’t overextending at the top and leaning back. Make sure you hike pass the weight back and finish your swing standing straight up and down.

So there is your basic swing progression and a couple of mistakes to watch for. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time at KettlebellBasics.net.

In summary, mastering the kettlebell swing is key – no matter what your current kettlebell expertise level or eventual fitness goals.  The video above covers the basic progression I use with all my kettlebell training clients to learn – or re-enforce technique basics – with the kettlebell swing.

Train hard and talk soon –

Forest Vance, Certified Level 2 Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor

PS – For more details about our upcoming Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop in Sacramento, CA – and to reserve your spot while they’re still available … click here

Don’t forget – when you pick up a copy of the Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Series – or any of my other products priced at $37 or more – between now and the end of the month, I’ll send you a free physical copy of my book, No Gym? No Excuse!

Get more info and grab your free copy of NGNE here: -> FVT Spring Cleaning Sale

I’m sharing some sample workouts/meal planning tips/etc. from a few of my programs over the rest of the week to help you decide which one(s) to pick up – today, I have a sample video from the Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Series program that’ll help you improve your Turkish Get Up technique.  Enjoy!

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Video Recap

1. Start the move lying on your side with the kettlebell at your shoulder. Pull the ‘bell into your frame, roll to your back, and punch the KB up towards the ceiling.

2. If you are on your right side, your right heel will be tucked up to your right glute. Your left leg will go out slightly at an angle along with your left arm.

3. Now, drive through the right heel and punch up towards the ceiling. Straighten out the bottom arm so you are supporting your weight with your bottom arm completely outstretched.

4. Drive the hips towards the ceiling, come up to a bridge position, and bring the foot through the hips. Shoot to get the knee that’s coming thru to land right by the hand that’s on the ground.

5. Come up to your lunge position and get set. Brace the abs, make sure the bicep is directly by the ear and the shoulder supporting weight of kettlebell is tight and stabilized. Stand up!

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PS – Remember – when you pick up a copy of the Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Series – or any other program I have that’s priced at $37 or more – before the end of the month, you’ll get a free physical copy of No Gym? No Excuse!  Click here for more info on this special deal: -> FVT Spring Cleaning Sale

The Problem(s):

• A weak press
• Bad snatch form
• Poor shoulder mobility

The Fix:

The Overhead Kettlebell Walk

I’ve done a lot of bench pressing in my day.  And while I got pretty strong at this specific exercise (I benched 455 for a single at my peak), it left me with some big time upper body imbalances – one being tight a@@ shoulders.

So when I first started training seriously with kettlebells a few years ago – which naturally comes with a lot of overhead work – my weakness was pathetically exposed!  And all of my overhead work/exercises – presses, snatches, etc. – suffered because of it.

The kettlebell overhead walk exercise (combined with a steady diet of TGU’s) was largely responsible for restoring health and natural range of motion to my upper body.  It’s a simple drill I first learned at the Russian Kettlebell Challenge.  And now, I use it almost every day in my own training and with personal training/boot camp clients.  It’s fantastic for improving your pressing/snatching form, teaching you how to ‘suck the shoulder into the socket’, improving shoulder mobility, and a whole lot more.  Check out this video to learn how to do it:

I hope the kettlebell overhead walk is a valuable addition to your training program!

Thanks

Forest Vance, RKC II

PS – If you’re just getting started with kettlebell training and want to learn the basics right, you should check out my Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness program.  This lesser-known (I’ve really not done much to promote it) program includes what I feel to be my best stuff – in written and video format – on learning kettlebells from the ‘ground up’.  Check it out here:

=== >> Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness