Kettlebells can take a while to master, which is why they're often too intimidating for people. But they're an amazing tool for crafting short, efficient & effective workouts. You want bang for your buck?? You want to learn how to use KB's!! 1 round of this complex takes me about 3 minutes. You'll build strength, get your heart pumping, & provoke a serious fat burn in completing just 2-4 rounds of this series... that's less than 15 minutes!
***DISCLAIMER: Kettlebells are tricky AF! I HIGHLY recommend working 1 on 1 with myself or another trainer to master this movement pattern before attempting this drill. A potential back injury is NOT worth doing this today - wait until you've mastered a simple swing before moving on to this.***
Your goal is to cycle through the complex without stopping, or even putting the KB down. Here's the complex: 5 [Right] Unilateral Suitcase DL + 15 Figure 8's + 5 [Left] Unilateral Suitcase DL + 15 Figure 8's + 5 American KB Swings + 15 Standard KB Swings + 5 Push-up KB Taps + 15 Lateral Hops Over KB. Then repeat for 1-3 more rounds!
FORM:
[Unilateral KB Suitcase DL]
- Feet slightly wider than hip width, toes pointed straight ahead. KB is beside the toe of the side you're lifting on.
- Hinge your hips: stick your booty back while leaning your chest & head forward & maintaining a straight spine.
- Bend your knees until you're able to reach the handle of the bell.
- Once you've firmly grabbed the handle, PAUSE... ensure that 1. your spine is straight, 2. your hips are square, (one hip should not be dropping lower than the other), 3. your shoulders are square (the arm holding the handle should not collapse lower than the other arm).
- Maintaining your straight spine, square hips and even shoulders, brace your core super tight, engage your lats, and drive evenly and firmly through both heels to stand & straighten your legs, squeezing your glutes tight to ensure your spine is fully supported.
- Hinge your hips, bend your knees & brace your core as you lower the KB back down to tap the floor. Once it taps the floor, repeat from the top!
*** The key to KB swings & figure 8's is understanding that the movement pattern of your hips dictates the movement pattern of the bell. If you want the bell to swing back to front, your hips must "swing" back to front. It's NOT a simple squatting motion. Letting your hips move up & down while trying to get the bell to move back to front WILL hurt your lower back.***
[Kettlebell Figure 8's]
- When the bell swings back between your legs, your other hand is reaching back there to grab it.
- Moving your hips just like a kettlebell swing, and keeping your spine straight, snap your hips forward, squeeze your glutes super tight, and swing the bell up in front of your chest to catch the bell, [not the handle, the actual bell], with your other hand.
- When you catch the bell in front of your chest, you do not switch it over to the other hand. Let it go again, and that same hand is the one that reaches behind you to take the handle as it swings back between your legs.
- When you pass it to your left hand, drive through your left foot with power as you snap your hips forward to swing it up in front of your chest.
- When you pass it to your right hand, drive through your right foot with power as you snap your hips forward to swing it up in front of your chest.
- Spine stays straight, always.
- When the bell swings back, your knees soften and your hips hinge, [butt sticks back but spine stays straight].
- To swing the bell forward, act like someone surprised you with a smack on the booty - snap your hips forward and squeeze those cheeks!
- Keep your neck long, lats engaged, & SQUEEZE THAT CORE!
***After you've done 15 Figure 8's, the KB should be in the hand that has yet to complete the Suitcase DL - I did that on purpose... fancy, huh?! ;-)***
--- Now repeat the 5 Suitcase DL & 15 Figure 8's starting on the other side ---
[American KB Swing]
- I bend my knees JUST enough to grab the handle, (my elbows are NOT bent), then, keeping my spine straight, I drive my feet into the floor and snap my hips up over my ankles as quickly and as hard as I can to give the KB the momentum to fly up off the ground.
- My arms move like I'm zipping up my jacket until the bell is headed toward my jaw, then I snap the KB up toward the ceiling.
- As I snap the KB upward with power, I pull my shoulders down away from my ears to engage my lats with as much force as possible so that my shoulder joint is locked in and completely stable to support the weight overhead.
**That's a super important step, otherwise you could lose control of the weight... and you do NOT want to lose control of a weight that's directly over your head.**
- Then, my arms control the KB as I reverse the movement on the way down so that it doesn't jolt my shoulder & elbow joints.
[Standard KB Swing]
- Keep your spine straight, always.
- You GOTTA master the hip hinge... if you're back is rounding, that's bad news!
- When the bell swings back, your knees soften and your hips hinge, [butt sticks back but spine stays straight].
- To swing the bell forward, act like someone surprised you with a smack on the booty - snap your hips forward and squeeze those cheeks!
- Keep your neck long, lats engaged, & SQUEEZE THAT CORE!
[Push-up + 2 KB Taps]
- Keeping your feet wide helps stabilize your core.
- The closer your feet are together, the greater the challenge you'll place on your core.
- Your goal, especially during the KB taps, is to keep your hips as still as possible - don't let them twist! Adjust the width of your feet until you're able to control them.
[Lateral Hops Over KB]
- Stay light on your feet
- Go at a safe pace so that you don't land on the KB & injure yourself
Now that's a lot to throw your way... but I'm all about delivering results, and I can promise, [with a reasonable diet & lifestyle], this will deliver!
B Strong,
Cassie B.