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October 16, 2006
Why you should stick with single kettlebell presses
I keep getting this question on the forum: can single kettlebell clean-and-presses be replaced with double C&Ps in the Enter the Kettlebell! Right of Passage program?
The answer is no. The volume is high and your lower back will get very fatigued if you double the weight you clean every time. Even if you don’t get hurt you will be too trashed to do your swings or snatches justice. If you must do double C&Ps do a couple of low rep sets, e.g. 3x3, on one of your variety days.
The ETK program is the way it is for a reason, please don’t try to “improve” it. Follow it to the letter and I guarantee that you will make extraordinary pressing strength gains. Com. Gregor Sobokan, RKC, a Slovenian professional athlete, has been doing ETK ladders. At the RKC in Denmark where he easily cleaned and pressed the 106lb. Beast –supporting himself on a crutch as one of his feet was broken!
For pressing strength read the manual – Enter the Kettlebell! –and follow it to the letter.
Russian kettlebell power to you!
Posted by james at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
October 9, 2006
Kettlebell get-ups and knee pain
Kettlebell get-ups (see Enter the Kettlebell!) are legendary for what they have done for banged up shoulders. It is fair guess that if your shoulders are trashed, so are your knees. You will have to pay more attention to the GU technique in order not to irritate your knees. Speaks Com. Mark Reifkind, Senior RKC:
“Make sure your foot is TOTALLY flat… BEFORE you lunge up and down. Push through the whole foot through the heel. I see people rushing into the lunge up all the time and lunging on the toe can cause all kinds of knee issues.” As usual, it is the attention to details that makes your training productive and healthy.
Russian kettlebell power to you!
Posted by james at 5:45 AM | Comments (0)
October 2, 2006
Press on, even if you don't have a heavier kettlebell
"I did 5 ladders of 5 rungs with my 70lb. kettlebell quite easily," wrote Com. Jim Madden on our forum referring to the routine from the book Enter the Kettlebell! “However, I won't have the cash for an 88 for probably a couple months… Should I work up to even bigger ladders, say 5 ladders of 8 rungs, etc.?"
Com. Jim, a good call, add ladders. Com. Kenneth Jay, Senior RKC who can military press 70+53 with one hand does up to 100 reps total with a 70 in training. Volume with low reps equals strength. You will just have to get used to the feel of your heavier kettlebell once you get it before the strength you have built with volume makes itself known.
Russian kettlebell power to you!
Posted by james at 9:32 AM | Comments (0)