All Articles

Is it a Pull or a Push? Direction of Force in the Deadlift and Swing

Brett Jones, CSCS, CK-FMS, Master RKC

Jun 09, 2011 03:00 PM

If you have ever had the chance to see a full biomechanical video of a Squat (or other movement like a deadlift) you have seen the blue arrows on the screen. These blue arrows represent the direction of force during the movement. During a deadlift the blue arrows should be pointing straight up but straight up actually means straight down. Do you call a deadlift or swing a “Pull” exercise? Chances are you answered, “Pull”. And it might surprise you...

Read Full Story

Practice- Honing the Skill of Strength

Dave Whitley, Master RKC

Jun 08, 2011 11:00 PM

I once read a quote from Houdini that really struck me with its depth. “Magic is practice” The simple honest elegance is so obvious it is easy to dismiss. Strength is the same. Strength is practice. Strength is a by-product of continual practice. The quest for the perfect rep. And that practice begins with movement. “Practice makes perfect” is inaccurate and so is “perfect practice makes perfect”. While this sounds very good and is a step in the right direction, it is also untrue.

Read Full Story

The Evolution Of The Strength Athlete – Part 1

Andy Bolton & Elliot Newman

Jun 08, 2011 10:00 PM

So, you wanna get strong? That’s great, and I commend you on your choice of physical pursuit. It goes without saying that you will need to lift weights and add weight to the bar in order to get stronger. However, if you wish to reach your strength potential (in your chosen lifts) then there is going to be much more involved than mindlessly ‘lifting weights’.

Read Full Story

Start Where You’re At

Jeff O’Connor, Master RKC

Jun 08, 2011 06:47 PM

Starting where you’re at seems like a rather obvious and somewhat silly statement. Unfortunately, though, many of us try and start significantly farther down the course than we’re physically able to. Very few of us would try and squat 800 lbs before we had ever done 400. But for some reason most of us jump right into some lifts that require a lot of mobility and a high skill level like the Bent Press and Sots Press. I don’t want to discourage anyone from learning these lifts...

Read Full Story

Hartle-Style and the RKC Snatch Test

by Dr. Michael Hartle, Senior RKC

When I first took the RKC Snatch test in April of 2006, I was required to snatch the 24 kg kettlebell 74 times, without setting the bell down and being only allowed one hand switch, period. There was no time limit but the only rest you could have was at the top in the lockout position. When I was in this position, I would make sure I had my hand open, even for a brief second. If the kettlebell touched the ground at any time during the test, the test was over.

Read Full Story

A Pressing Matter

by Jason Marshall, RKC Team Leader

I remember hanging out at my buddy’s (Alan Martin, RKC) house when his first set of kettlebells came in. He ordered 5 bells. A 16kg, 24kg, 32kg, 40kg and 48kg. After the UPS guy finished cussing us, we opened the first box…which one do you think we opened first? The 48kg, of course! And the first thing we did with it?

Read Full Story

Sushi, Sake, Karate & Kettlebells

by Gary Music, RKC

Karate and Kettlebells is a perfect match, and if you follow the RKC doctrine of Hardstyle the two arts are a perfect match. Just like sushi goes with sake, kettlebells and karate make an unstoppable combination for fitness, strength, speed, power and tournament skill.

Read Full Story

Convict Conditioning: Paul "Coach" Wade on the Fine Art of Building Functional Fitness the Smart Way

May 17, 2011 03:41 PM

Black Belt interviewed Wade to glean some information about his fitness program and learn more about his philosophy on what functional fitness really means.

Read Full Story

Sports Medicine: To benefit from kettlebell workouts, let's tame the intimidation factor

Dr. James Glazer, PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

May 14, 2011 07:58 PM

Dr. James Glazer finds Dragon Door to make the best kettlebells after testing all the various kettlebell designs on the market: "In the previous column I discussed the benefits of the newest, old workout in the nation. Kettlebells, originally developed in Russia, are basically cannonballs with a handle. They have been around since the 18th century..."

Read Full Story

Testing Radiant Tension Variations for Increased Performance in the Kettlebell Press

by Jedd Johnson, RKC, CSCS

Pavel writes about a concept called irradiation, which is a coordinated tension that allows us to execute more strength in a given movement when we tighten other parts of the body, especially the hands.​

Read Full Story