Okay, first things first … if you’re doing kettlebell swings the way I teach them, and you are a healthy, injury-free individual, your lower back should not hurt at all.

On the other hand, there could be some underlying structural/muscle imbalance/etc. issues going on that are causing your lower back pain – regardless of training technique.

My friend Rick Kaselj shot a video special for you – an FVT reader – that covers this topic.  He talks about what could be happening, and a few simple drills to fix it.  Check it out:

If you liked this video, check out Rick’s full Fix My Back Pain program by clicking here

The Kettlebell Clean is a really tricky move to master.  It looks simple when you see someone perform the movement properly – on video, for example – but then when you go to try it yourself, you many times simply end up frustrated and/or with a bruised forearm 😉

Check out the video below for a quick drill you can do to improve your kettlebell clean form:

 

Is Your Kettlebell Clean Jacked Up?  Here’s How to Fix It!

(video recap)

We were doing some kettlebell cleans in our boot camp this morning and people were having some problems with them. A lot of people were having similar issues so I thought I’d show you a quick video to break down some common errors with the kettlebell clean. Also, I’ll show you two quick drills that are very effective to fix it.

Here is the error that I’m talking about that happens for a lot of people. The ‘bell gets too far out in front or too far out to the side. This arm detaches from the body and the ‘bell ends up coming over the top and whacking you in the wrist.

(Forest demonstrates) That is what a proper clean should look like. Here’s what happens. (Forest demonstrates a bad clean) You get a lot of impact, maybe even more than that. You can get a bruised wrist which is really painful and it ends up being a problem over time.

So to fix that I’ve got two drills for you. For the first drill, get close to a wall, about six inches away or so. Grab your kettlebell and practice your cleans. This will keep your arm close to your body and keep the kettlebell close to the frame. You have no choice or the ‘bell will go through the wall.

The second drill will have you face the wall. This will help you keep the kettlebell closer into your frame. Get as close as you can without whacking into the wall.

Then go back and do your cleans and a lot of times instantly your form will be cleaned up. It won’t be going to the side and the ‘bell will automatically be closer to your body. Then you’re doing a more efficient and less painful kettlebell clean.

 

The KB clean is a tricky one.  But many times, the simple drill shown in the video above goes a long way towards fixing several of the common problems with the movement.  It’s a great drill to use for 1) learning the exercise yourself and 2) for teaching and re-inforcing great technique with others.

Thanks for reading, train hard, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC

PS – The KB clean is typically paired with other moves – like the press.  Make sure to watch THIS video on fixing your kettlebell press if you haven’t yet for some additional tips that go along well with the ones in today’s video.  Thanks!

PPS – If you liked this video, be sure to pass it along to your kettlebell enthusiast friends and help spread the word! 😉

When folks are looking to improve their shoulder mobility, one of the first exercises I recommend – in most cases – is the kettlebell arm bar.

It’s a relatively unknown exercise, but it is awesome.

The arm bar is great for:

– improving flexibility and mobility through shoulder
– increasing flexibility and mobility through the thorasic spine

And much more.

Check out the video below from Mike Robertson of robertsontrainingsystems.com for a quick demo:

If you’re looking to improve your mobility and flexibility through the shoulder, thorasic spine, and much more, incorporate the kettlebell arm bar into your training today!

Forest Vance
Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor

PS – Questions? Thoughts? Leave ’em in the comments section below!!

The kettlebell press is an AWESOME move.  It’s fantastic for building upper body strength.  And pressing a heavy object over your head rates right up there with the most “functional”, real-life-applicable exercises you can do.

HOWEVER – it’s also a tricky one to master.  There are a lot more “moving parts” to it, if you will, than you may think.

The problem with the press I cover in today’s video is SUPER common … but fortunately, relatively easy to fix, IF you know how.

Watch today’s video, try the drill for yourself, and see if you don’t improve your KB press!!

 

*Also … if you find this video helpful … I got a special surprise for you at the end.  If you like the video, you’re going to really dig this.  So don’t miss it 😉

 

Is Your Kettlebell Press Jacked Up?  Here’s How to Fix It!

(video recap)

Today I’m going to give you a tip that will instantly improve your kettlebell press.

One very common error that people make when they do a press is they don’t keep their forearm straight up and down through the movement. What it should look like is that my elbow is stacked right underneath my hand throughout the whole exercise.

What a lot of people will do is try to rack the ‘bell like this (demonstrates) and they go and do the press and that is not how you want to do it. You’ll be out of alignment and not be in your optimum pressing position.

So a quick fix is something called a bottoms up press.

Clean the ‘bell up and get into your bottoms up position. You’re going to use a lighter ‘bell than usual since it takes a lot of grip strength. Now I can keep my elbow tucked into my side and it will force me to have my elbow underneath my hand.

For this one you want to look at the ‘bell the whole time and use your tension technique and your power breathing. Do a couple presses. Now I’m forced to have my elbow stacked underneath my hand.

Now I’m going to go back and do my regular press and I’ll automatically be in the same exact position and it is going to be much stronger and much more advantageous pressing position.

So if you want to boost your press or if you are having problems getting a hang of the movement try doing that bottoms up press drill. Then you can go back to your regular press and you’ll see an improvement right away.

###

Thanks for reading/watching, train hard, and talk soon –

Forest

 

PS – Okay for the special surprise 🙂

I’ve recently dug up/refreshed for 2013 one of my “classic” programs from the vault, ‘No Gym? No Excuse! Dumbbell Complexes for Fat Loss’.

It’s a full 12 week program that shows you how to use dumbbell complexes for rapid fat loss and extreme conditioning.   The workouts in it are killer and pretty darn unique, if I do say so myself 😉 …

Thing is, we pulled it off the market about two years ago for various reasons … so I “spruced it up” and updated it for 2013, and now I’m making it available – for FREE – when you try at least one month of my FVT Coaching Club program.

=> Get your FREE Copy of No Gym? No Excuse Dumbbell Complexes for Fat Loss by clicking here

So you’ll get 12 FVT – style KB/BW workouts, PLUS No Gym? No Excuse! DB Complexes for Fat Loss – for less than 10 bucks!  Holy moly!! 😉

(I wasn’t going to announce this offer until Friday, but it’s up and ready to rock, and so for a “special reward” to folks like yourself who’ve read all the way to the end of this post – YOU get first crack at it!!)

 => Grab the deal here