If you are just getting started with exercise and fitness training, you need to make sure you are doing things correctly—particularly if you are just getting back into fitness.
Read the exercise descriptions below and take a look at the pictures or the Youtubes.
| Warm Up | Strength and Endurance | |
Warm Up
Joint Mobility
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Joint mobility is great for a warm up. Performing joint mobility smooths surfaces of the joints and can improve your coordination.
Turn your head left and right
Look left then look right. Even though it seems simple, take it seriously and make the movement fluid. Think about what you’re doing.
Look up and down
Look down, then look up. When you look up, you can open your mouth to increase your range of motion. Go smoothly and remember the natural curve of your neck. It helps to imagine wrapping your neck around a ball as you look up.
Tilt your head left and right (ear to shoulder)
Without moving your shoulders, bring your ear as close to the should as possible then bring your ear as close as possible to the other shoulder.
Elbow Circles
Starting from the top, move your elbows—your lower arm moves down and back so you end up in a position similar to the middle photo. To get to the position in the photo on the right, rotate your hands forward.
From that position, continue to move your elbows in a circle so your hands move towards your face and then spread out. Once your hands spread out again, you’ll be in the same position as the photo on the left.
Roll your shoulders forwards and then backwards
Roll your shoulders forward as though you are shrugging them. Then roll them backward.
Hula hoop (minus the hula hoop)
Tilt your pelvis left, then back, then right, then forward (left and right pictured). When you get the hang of that, do it in a flowing manner, as you would if hula-hooping. Rolling your hips like this is great for back.
Ankle rotations
Roll your ankle to the right and then to the left. Try to balance on the other foot to simultaneously develop your balance skill.
Strength and Endurance
Swing
The fundamental movement. The swing is the number one exercise. Master this before moving on to anything else. Or just do the swing. The swing coordinates the entire backside of the body in movement, making your back stronger and more durable.
The swing helps you develop all the required attributes of kettlebell lifting. The swing can be performed with one or two arms. It is first learned with two, then one. If you are bigger, it may be easier to start with the one arm version.
One key to understanding the swing is to realize that the arms are cables. All the work is being done by the action of the hips.
To perform the swing, follow these instructions:
- Find the proper stance. Working with one kettlebell, your feet should be about shoulder’s width apart. If you are using two kettlebells you will need to space your feet farther apart to avoid hitting your knees with a kettlebell.
Tip: You can find the footwork position by jumping in the air. Where your feet land, sometimes a little wider, is your swing stance. Spread the stance out more if working with two kettlebells. Make sure you have an even stance. It is OK if your toes are pointed slightly outwards instead of straight forward.
- Next with the kettlebell slightly ahead of your feet, pick it up off the ground. Keep your head up, reach for the kettlebell without looking at it—remember where it is. This keeps the back in proper alignment. As soon as you pick the kettlebell up, you’re going to go right into step 3.
- Swing the kettlebell back and you will be in the position shown in the photo on the left (above). Keep your back straight and your head up. In this position your butt and hamstrings are loaded.
Note: The lower legs are perpendicular with the ground. This is the safest position for the knees.
- Now push your hips forward while straightening your legs. The motion is similar to a standing vertical jump, except your feet do not leave the ground. As you extend your hips, the kettlebell “swings” from between your legs to in front of your waist, or higher, if you desire.
- Finish with your legs straight and the kettlebell weightless in front of you. Then the weight comes down due to gravity and you repeat the process for X number of reps.
- In the end position, with the kettlebell in front of you, your butt and stomach are tight. Your knee caps are pulled up, flexing your quads. Your shoulders are back.
Advanced Level: As you become more advanced, you will learn to pull yourself down with your hip flexors. As you pull yourself down you will breathe deep into the stomach, protecting the back even more, allowing you to handle a heavier weight. The swing becomes a great stomach exercise at advanced levels.
Swing Variations: You can swing with only one arm. You can switch hands every rep. You can pull back on the handle and release it, let it spin one full revolution than catch it again. You can walk forward, backward and sideways while swinging. This will develop strong legs. Step when the kettlebell is weightless at the top of the swing, and make your step athletic and coordinated: i.e. no extra movement.
Swing Benefits: The swing targets the entire backside of the body and coordinates the back muscles to move in conjunction with the hips. It makes your back stronger. You don’t need to think “what muscles am I working out?” You’re working an entire movement, one that uses the majority of the muscles in the body. The swing develops your heart and lung strength as well. Multiple benefits for the price of one exercise.
Clean
After learning the one arm swing, you are ready to learn the clean. The clean can be used as a conditioner or just simply as a means to get the kettlebell in a position to press it. The final position of the clean, shown in the picture on the right, is called the rack position.
I use the clean to help warm up my shoulder for military pressing. It’s a controlled movement and involves some finesse. You may need to spend some time with it before you feel comfortable.
When you start to clean the kettlebell, you will feel the pressure of the kettlebell against your forearm. It takes time before you become used to this, so allow your body time to adapt.
Learn the clean first with one kettlebell.
Tip: Some people have a hard time learning the one kettlebell version of the clean and do the two kettlebell version effortlessly. You may be one of those people. If you are having a hard time cleaning one kettlebell, try cleaning two. Just remember to open your hands at the top position.
The first part of the clean resembles the swing. In the clean, however, you start bending your arm when you have swung the weight to about mid-thigh.
When learning the clean, think: “How can I expend the least amount of effort to get this kettlebell into the rack position.” This will help you to not overpower the kettlebell.
To perform the clean, follow these instructions:
- Swing the weight up as you would in a one arm swing.
- As the weight is about at mid-thigh, start extending your hips as you did in the swing. Your legs begin to straighten.
- Pull your arm in and tuck your elbow into the side. Your fist will turn so the knuckles are facing away.
- When the weight reaches your stomach, punch up as though performing an uppercut. (You punch up so the kettlebell doesn’t bang your forearm.)
Tip: If you have problems banging your forearm, use both hands to get the kettlebell in the rack position. Now hang out for awhile with the kettlebell in that position. Let your shoulder get fatigued, then let the kettlebell descend between your legs, i.e. learning the clean in the opposite order. You start from the top position and as fatigue sets in you lower it. The way you lower it is very similar to the way you will get it up to the rack position. That will help your nervous system to get it right.
- At the same time you’re punching up, extend your legs so they are perfectly straight.
The kettlebell then rests in the crook created by your forearm and shoulder. You are in the rack position. What you do at this point is up to you: you can perform another clean, do a press, a push press, a jerk, etc.
When you are first getting used to the clean, you can bend your knees to anticipate the flipping over of the kettlebell. You can also use your other hand to catch the kettlebell. Later, you will want to remain upright and use the stored power of the clean in the next exercise, particularly if you are doing a military press.
Clean Variations: You can clean with one or two kettlebells. When you use two, it becomes a challenging high rep exercise that will really improve your endurance. Another variation is to clean the kettlebell but use an iron grip and keep the kettlebell’s bottom up. That way the weight doesn’t rest on your wrist. This move is advanced and requires a lot of wrist strength.
Clean Benefits: Like the swing, the clean targets the entire backside of the body. The clean also develops a lot of hand and forearm strength, which even in these modern times can be important. Finally, it teaches you finesse, you learn to coordinate and contract the precise amount of muscles you need to get the job done. You learn to control your body so you don’t bang the kettlebell on your arm.
Military Press
A staple exercise. The military press, executed properly, involves most of the muscles of the body.
There are a lot of reasons to do the military press. One is that it forces you to use that range of motion–it helps you open your chest because of the way the kettlebell weight is centered. Another is that it makes your shoulders strong and that helps you with carrying things.
Finally, it makes your arms look good. Done properly, it will give your tricep and bicep definition, not to mention your shoulder itself.
I used to have major problems with my rotator from throwing, but they stopped once I started pressing a kettlebell.
- Clean the kettlebell.
- Adjust your feet. I prefer a staggered stance where my right leg is in front of my left when pressing with my left arm and vice versa.
- Squeeze the kettlebell handle as if trying to crush it.
- Press up and around your head, visualizing that you are pressing yourself away from the kettlebell. This keeps your shoulder in the socket.
- Lock out overhead.
- Reverse the process and pull the kettlebell down with your lat. Pulling down with the lat adds safety and power.
Tighten your legs, butt, and stomach. This forms the base of your press and adds safety and power.
Remember to breathe out when you’re pressing it up, and breathe in when you are lowering it. To get more power, squeeze your opposite hand, grab the ground with your feet, and exhale as though breathing through a straw.
There are a lot of nuances to this movement that you will learn with time. Stick with it and perform it everyday—it’s a high bang for the buck exercise.
Military Press Variations: You can press one or two kettlbells overhead. If you’re using two kettlebells, you can press one up while simultaneously lowering the other one. You can also perform a bottom up clean and then press the kettlebell with the bottom of the kettlebell facing up. This is highly challenging and really focuses on your strength and coordination.
Military Press Benefits: This exercise is about increasing your strength. Stronger shoulders will help you with carrying things, with many manual labor jobs you have to do around the house, and they will help you attain a healthy broad shouldered look.
Snatch
The snatch is one of the most effective kettlebell exercise. It coordinates the entire backside of the body and helps you move fluidly in a coordinated fashion. It teaches you about conserving your energy—only expending as much as you should and not wasting any effort.
It can also teach you about power and how to generate quickly. At the very least, you will be able to start the lawnmower more easily.
- Start the same way as you would a swing. Feet about shoulder width apart, kettlebell in front of your feet.
- Sit down and back and ‘hike pass’ the kettlebell.
- Snap your hips as in the swing. The action of the hips drives the kettlebell overhead, the arm guides it.
- Pull the kettlebell back as if you were starting a lawnmower.
- When the kettlebell gets to around head height, punch your hand up.
- Clean one or two kettlebells and place them in the rack position. If you use one kettlebell, make sure to do an equal number of squats when you’re holding it in your left hand as you do with your right.
- Pull yourself down to the ground keeping the weight on the heels.
- Come to rest in the bottom position and squeeze everything and drive through the heels so you are standing again.
- Keep your head up the entire time.
- Clean one or two kettlebells and place them in the rack position.
- Pull yourself down to the ground keeping the weight on the heels.
- Come to rest in the bottom position and squeeze everything and drive through the heels so you are standing again.
- Keep your head up the entire time.
If it bangs your wrist, you probably did not punch up at the right time, or you did not punch up enough. You may want to start with a spotter.
One way to learn the snatch is to perform a one arm swing and swing progressively higher until you are swinging a little over your head. Then pull the arm back a bit and punch up.
The snatch works your body from head to toe. It makes you stronger, coordinates your body, and gives your heart and lungs a good run for their money—making them stronger in the process. It doesn’t take too many snatches before you’ve had a good workout. A few sets of these and you’re ready for the showers.
Find a breathing pattern for this exercise or you won’t last long!
Snatch Variations: You can snatch two kettlebells at once, however, it is a very advanced move. To develop more power, you can snatch without swinging the kettlebell between your legs. It’s the zero momentum snatch. If you play a sport where you need sudden power, or just want to develop the coordination to display sudden power, then the zero momentum snatch is a good way to do it.
Snatch Benefits: Total body coordination from heel to head. The snatch will develop every single muscle along the backside of the body and several along the front, including your stomach muscles. You’ll improve your grip strength dramatically and it will keep your back healthy and strong.
Squat
Your legs are your connection with the Earth. Your legs take you to the places you want to go. Say you go on a trip somewhere and a lot of hiking is involved. If you have strong legs you will be able endure and enjoy the scenery. If you don’t, you will be miserable and unable to enjoy the purpose of the visit because your “wheels” aren’t up to task. Having springy-strong legs is a good way to go through life.
The front squat is one of your keys to leg development. Many people have issues with full squat saying they are bad for the knees. Many people do not have issues with the full squat saying that it is good for the knees. It depends on you—use impeccable form, an appropriate weight, and good judgment, and you won’t have any problems.
Proper squatting begins with learning to pull yourself to the ground using the hip flexors. The movement begins in the hips, not the knees or back. It is important that the knees track the feet. Do not allow your knees to drift to the sides. You can learn this technique by sitting down and back onto a chair. Reach with your butt! Lean forward and throw your arms out to act as a counterbalance.
To start the movement,
Squatting is a very natural movement, but many Americans don’t do it at all so we have to relearn it. One thing that prevents proper squatting is hip flexibility. If you cannot get down into a full squat, focus on hip flexibility and work on a partial squat.
If you are uncomfortable with this movement, try it without any weight, or just stick to the kung fu exercises covered earlier.
Front Squat Variations: The variations come into play where you hold the kettlebell. You can hold it out in front of you and you’ll be strengthening your carrying muscles and your back. You can press the kettlebell overhead and then squat (very difficult) and this will increase your mobility. Ease into these variations, if you try them at all.
Front Squat Benefits: The benefit is to have strong, springy legs and full range of motion. When you lose this motion you become more restricted and everyday activities become more difficult. Even if you do this without weight, you’re going to be making your getting from point A to B on foot life much easier.
Push Up
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When you think of the push up, you may just think of the standard hands shoulder width apart, back straight, and head up, push up. But, there’s a lot more. The push up is an extremely versatile and effective upper body exercise.
First, let’s review the standard push up position. The feet are together, the hands are shoulder width apart, and the head is up—or in a neutral position. The body is locked into place using the core muscles. This is the start position.
Lower yourself. Keep your elbows in, don’t let them flare out too much. Imagine that you are pulling yourself to the ground. Keep lowering until your chest is about a fist’s length from the floor. Imagine that your arms are springs, and while lowering your body, the springs have been storing energy. Use the stored energy to return to the top position.
Variations
In the top position, you can position your hands however you want. If you position them closely together, you shift the emphasis to your triceps. The further apart your hands are, the more emphasis is placed on the chest muscles. You can strengthen your wrists by doing the push ups on your knuckles. You can remove one foot from the floor and cross it over your other one. This will challenge your balance.
You can do divebomber push ups, tiger push ups, sheer angle push ups, jumping push ups, diamond push ups, finger tip push ups, one arm push ups, and you can make all sorts of other modifications with where you place your hands, how fast your tempo is, and your range of motion.
Developing the Deep Skill
The push up involves your entire body and becomes an awareness tool. You can feel how your stomach is supporting you. How your shoulders are burning. As you feel the exercise more, you can become aware of just how many muscles are working. As you lower yourself to the ground, you realize your biceps and your lats are working. You can increase this feeling by acting as though you are pulling yourself to the ground.
Engaging the lats and the biceps targets more of your upper body and makes your push ups more controlled.
While the push up is a basic exercise, there are many subtleties that make it an extremely effective one.
Don’t blindly pursue more reps. Pursue higher quality reps. One, you’ll learn how to develop and deploy more of your muscles in the movement. You might even become aware of really small muscles and learn how to flex and use those in your movements. The other reason is because mindless exercise is not as effective as mindful exercise. Feel exactly what your muscles are doing and imagine the results you want to achieve materializing. You’ll have more success.
Pull Up
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You want guns? A steady diet of pull ups and push ups is all you need. Both exercises have a ton of variations that not only work your entire body, but place special emphasis on your arms.
Additionally, the pull ups develop your lats. If you’re playing sports, or fighting people, or want to look like Bruce Lee, you’ll need to develop your lats. They help transfer power generated from the lower body into the arms.
Pull ups serve as weight control. The more weight you gain, the harder pull ups become.
To start the pull up, hang from the bar. Don’t let your arms pull out your sockets, keep your arms glued into the shoulder by corkscrewing them in—as if you were trying to bend a broomstick that you were holding in front of you.
Initiate the pull from the arms pits, then the biceps. Squeeze the bar hard to generate more force and more power. Do not assist with the pull up by kipping your legs. If you can’t do a pull up, you can have someone assist you, or you can place your feet on a chair and provide your own assistance.
Imagine driving your elbows into your side as you inch towards getting your chin above the bar.
Pause at the top and descend slowly. At the bottom, be sure to keep your arms in the shoulder socket by employing the corkscrew technique discussed earlier.
Pull up variations
You can have your palms facing you—that’s a chin up. It targets the biceps more and many people think it is easier.
Add weight. Ironmind makes a belt that helps you add weight to your pull ups. The pull up works a lot of muscles. Adding weight can really help you fill out your t-shirts if that is what you want.
Jumping pull ups. Don’t do these if you’re using the door frame pull up bar. But, these are a great way to develop explosive power if you have a solidly mounted pull up bar. Pull up quickly and jump off the bar, catching yourself in a different grip. That is, if your palms were facing away, you’d catch yourself in the chin up position, with your palms facing towards you.
Various hand positions. There are many different hand positions you can use to shake things up. Just don’t go too wide (it’s hard on the shoulders) and don’t pull up behind the next (unless you have really outstanding shoulder mobility, most people don’t—especially desk jockeys).