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

This is (at least) the third post I’ve done on kettlebell exercises for abs … but given that almost everyone wants to lose belly fat … and given that if you’re reading this blog, you’re a fan of kettlebells … it’s one of those topics most of us probably can’t get enough of 🙂

Enjoy this video from fellow RKC Chris Lopez – in it, he covers five kettlebell exercises you should be doing for your abs, but probably aren’t.  In addition to showing us some cool and unique kettlebell moves, Chris does a great job of covering the critical coaching points of each exercise in detail.

Thanks –

Forest

Video Recap (exercise descriptions)

Reverse Ab Curl

You will need a relatively light kettlebell depending on how strong your abs are. You will be using a medicine ball or a light ball, like a basketball.  Be sure it is tucked in-between your heels and butt, this occupies your hamstrings and forces your hip flexors to relax and allow your lower abs and obliques to work on getting your knees up to your elbows.  Use the kettlebell above your head for leverage, the lighter you go, the harder it will be for your abs to work.  Be sure to keep your back flat and curl up and repeat.  Make sure the kettlebell on top of you isn’t lifting off of the ground, if it is use a heavier weight.

Push-Away Squat

Start the exercise by holding a light kettlebell in a gauntlet position.  Think about front squatting, but at the same time, drive the bell away and keep your back as straight as you possibly can.  This works your shoulders and abs.  Your body will want to somewhat collapse and your abs will start to fire and brace, try to keep your spine straight.

Renegade Row

If you don’t have two kettlebells, you can use a platform or a couple of thick books. In addition to your back, it works your obliques.  Prevent any rotation in your hips, squeeze your glutes, and brace your abs to resist any rotation going on in your torso as you are moving the weight up.  The wider your feet are in the exercise, the easier it will be.  Place one hand on the platform, the other on the kettlebell and row.

Opposite Hip Touch

Same as the renegade row, make sure you aren’t twisting during the movement. Brace your abs, place your shoulders over the top of your elbows and your elbows above your wrists, squeeze your glutes, and rotate your hand to the opposite side and return.  Repeat the motion with the other side.

Spider Man Climb

Get yourself into a push up position with your toes together, take one leg and drive it all the way forward as far as you can, with this leg forward, keep your hips low and squeeze your glute, then bring your leg back under control without moving your torso or hips.

PS – Chris Lopez, RKC has a lot of knowledge on using kettlebells for fat loss – click here to learn more about his unique workout methods: Kettlebell Revolution

It’s an interesting (but logical) phenomenon … I see very predictable movement problems and pain patterns with new kettlebell training clients.

For example, folks who sit all day – as in working at a desk job – typically have tight traps, pecs, shoulders and lats.

Folks who stand up for long periods of time at their jobs frequently have chronic back pain.

And folks who participate in endurance sports like running and cycling seem to have, among other things, a weak and neglected “core”.

This isn’t surprising, since many endurance sports essentially involve only straight ahead movement – movement in what we call the sagittal plane. (It’s also important to remember that the “core” referred to in this context not only includes your abdominals, but your hips, glutes, and middle/upper back muscles as well).

So here’s a kettlebell exercise that addresses these issues and is great for endurance athletes – it’s called the single leg deadlift:

Video Recap

Athletes that are involved in endurance sports like running and cycling – sports where you largely move through the sagittal plane – have specific muscles that typically get weak and neglected.

One great exercise you can do if you’re involved in these sports is the single leg deadlift (SLDL).  It’s a great move for strengthening your core, balance muscles, and glutes.

Start by doing a regular kettlebell sumo deadlift.  Keep in mind that the movement pattern for the one leg version is very similar.

Then progress to the SLDL.  Make sure that:

• You initiate the movement with your back leg
• Your hips stay square
• Your hips travel backwards as your body moves towards the ground

In conclusion, endurance athletes have special strength training needs. Kettlebells are a great tool to address some of these needs.  And the SLDL exercise covered in this article/video is a great kettlebell exercise for endurance athletes.

Keep training hard and talk soon –

Forest

P.S. The SLDL is just a starting point in your kettlebell training for endurance sports … for a complete and well thought-out workout program that takes on the movement and pain issues endurance athletes have and stops them in their tracks, click here ——>>kettlebell/body weight workout for endurance athletes