Mastering the basic kettlebell drills takes a lot of practice. And if your form is sloppy – or you make some of the other common training mistakes I mention in this article – it’s very possible to get injured.  Here are three tips to help you avoid kettlebell injuries:

1. Be aware of your surroundings

Swinging around heavy iron kettlebells requires 1) open space and 2) a durable surface underfoot.

One would think this goes without saying, but very time I’m perusing kettlebell videos on the ‘net it seems I see someone swinging around a ‘bell in really close quarters, over their hardwood floor, inches away from their giant flat screen TV, family cat, etc. –

As a rule, use common sense, and be aware of your surroundings to avoid injury to yourself/objects/animals/humans around you.

2. Abort safely

If you’re doing a kettlebell exercise and you feel something weird, get into an awkward position, etc. – abort!  Just drop the ‘bell (and move those feet 🙂 )  Trying to ‘save a lift’ has caused countless tweaked backs, wrists, shoulders, etc.

3. Learn good kettlebell lifting technique

Good technique is always important when you’re lifting weights. But it’s extra important when you’re training with kettlebells – there’s a lot higher chance you’ll get hurt doing a kettlebell swing the wrong way than, say, using improper form doing a bicep curl with 10 pound dumbbells.

Make sure you take time to learn proper form from the very beginning – ideally working with a RKC certified instructor, and at minimum using something like the Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual.

In conclusion, kettlebells are fantastic training tools – but it’s very important to be aware of your surroundings when training with them, to know when to bail out of a failed lift, and to focus on using great technique to avoid kettlebell injuries.

Keep training hard and talk soon –

Forest Vance

P.S. If you’re still looking to master the basics of proper kettlebell training technique, check out my Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual course – it’s a great starting point and is designed to take you from swing newbie to HardStyle kettlebell swing master in just 12 weeks – click the image below for more info and to sign up:

Thinking about purchasing your first kettlebell(s)? Looking to add some new weights to your arsenal?

Here’s how to purchase kettlebells in five easy steps:

Step one – preliminary research

There’s all kinds of freely available information about kettlebells on the internet – and this blog, of course, is a great place to start 🙂

If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to simply learn all you can about the basics of kettlebell training to make sure it’s right for you. Check out this recent blog post for a great overview:

Kettlebell Blog Overview – The Best Of KettlebellBasics.net

Step two – try before you buy

Most folks I see for kettlebell training sessions are just getting started with them – and it’s certainly a good idea to get some in-person instruction to make sure you learn the basics right the first time around.

If you’re in a relatively big city, there’s likely an RKC certified instructor near you – to search for one in your area, click here

Step three – determine the weight of kettlebells you’ll need

Depending on your starting fitness level, your experience with kettlebell training, and a host of other factors, you’ll need to determine what size kettlebell you’ll need.

I actually have an entire post about this here, so I’ll direct you to that if you need more info:

I’m Going To Purchase Some Kettlebells; What Size Do I Need?

Step four – shop around

Your two basic options when you’re looking to purchase kettlbells are 1) buying locally or 2) ordering online.

Search around sporting goods stores in your area if you’re looking to buy locally. The advantages here are that you can see the kettlebells before you buy them, you potentially save on shipping costs, and you don’t have to wait – you could run out and buy your kettlebells today.

You might even try looking on places like craigslist or local classified publications – after all, used kettlebells are often times just as good as new ones.

Ordering online, you’ll likely be able to get a better deal on the ‘bells themselves. You’ll also have more selection, as there are dozens of kettlebell brands you can order on the Internet.

My personal preference, of course, is Dragon Door kettlebells. Of the half dozen or so brands of kettlebells I’ve trained with, these are hands down the best. They are the best balanced, have the smoothest grips, and just are all-around well-built. A good testament to how much I like them is the fact that I’ve outfitted my training studio with Dragon Door ‘bells almost exclusively.

Step five – pickup any extras

Proper instruction is what will make your kettlebell training a success or failure. So at the very minimum, make sure you get some quality instructional materials (click here for more details on kettlebell training resources).

Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel is another great resource to get you pointed in the right direction when you’re first starting out, as is the recommended resources section of this blog.

If you’re looking to purchase kettlebells, a bit of planning will go a long way in helping you select the right sizes, get the highest quality, and get the most out of the training you’re planning on doing with them. Good luck!

Forest

P.S. Have you signed up for my weekly newsletter yet? When you do, you’ll get TWO awesome free gifts as my way of saying thank you – plus you’ll get first news of all the kettlebell training tips, videos, and workouts I post up on this blog – just drop your name and e-mail into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page to sign up now!

Lack of recovery between kettlebell workouts could be what’s stalling your progress …

For years, I worked out at the same gym every day at the same time. I saw the same folks there day after day … and unfortunately, progress the vast majority of them made over time was, put nicely, less than spectacular.

Why?

I’m convinced a big factor was lack of recovery between workouts.

Even if you’re already aware of the basic info I’m about to cover, bear with me, because it’s important and it’s worth reviewing:

When you lift weights of any kind – kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, whatever – you’re essentially tearing your muscles down. You need to give them time to recover and build themselves back up (about 48 hours) before hitting the same muscle group again.

Now, there are some exceptions to this:  Light body weight training, like Push Ups, Sit Ups, Squats, etc. can probably be done most days – depending on your fitness level. So can things like high rep and relatively low intensity kettlebell training.

But – in general – the rule is 48 hours of rest before hitting the same muscle group again.

What you wouldn’t want to do, as an example, is hit your shoulders two days in a row with a bunch of heavy kettlebell pressing exercises. Less than 48 hours is too just little – and it’ll eventually lead to overtraining and stalled kettlebell progress.

There are a couple of different solutions to this problem:

1. You could train your entire body in one session and give yourself a day of complete rest before you hit it again.  This is the best solution for the majority of folks who are trying to lose fat, build a lean muscle, and improve their conditioning levels.  The main workout in the Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual would be a perfect example of this.

2. If you really want to train every day, you could split your body parts up – for a good example of what a workout like this would look like, check out this post: Kettlebells For Building Muscle

So it’s pretty simple, really:  Give yourself adequate recovery and continue to progress! Don’t train the same muscle groups two days in a row.  Incorporate this simple training tip into your programming today – it could be the key missing element in what’s holding you back from making progress in your kettlebell workouts.

Forest

P.S. Are you signed up for my weekly kettlebell newsletter yet? Do so today and you’ll get 1) my ‘Kettlebell Rx’ training video AND 2) my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training – both FREE as a thank you for signing up!  Just drop your name and best email into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page to sign up now.