This blog is all about learning the correct form when working out with your kettlebells. To get the correct form with kettlebells there are some coordination workouts we can do which will show any issues in our kettlebell exercise form. Read my kettlebell form and coordination workout guide to get the best info on correcting your kettlebell form and improving your general body to mind connection we call: Coordination.
What is Kettlebell Training?
Kettlebell training is a form of exercise and strength training that involves the use of metal weights in the shape of a bell with a handle on top called a kettlebell. Kettlebell training has gained popularity in recent years due to its effectiveness in developing strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness.
The use of kettlebells for physical training has become more and more popular in recent years. The credit for originally formalizing kettlebell training is often given to a Russian strongman named “Vladislav Kraevsky”. This strongman developed a system of exercises which uses kettlebells in the early 20th century. This original system laid the foundation for modern kettlebell training which has risen to popularity today.
5 Kettlebell Exercises to use in your Kettlebell Workout
Kettlebell Swing
Kettlebell swing is a mandatory go to for all kettlebell athletes. This is as simple as swinging the kettlebell using one or two hands between your legs to chest height. The swing and power comes from snapping your hips forward and tensing your glutes, the kettlebell swings forward automatically as a result. This form is to prevent injury and ensure you are using your lower body instead of your back to enhance the exercise.
Kettlebell Clean and Press
Kettlebell clean and press is simply swinging the kettlebell up into the crook of your arm between your forearm and bicep. Then pushing the kettlebell up in a shoulder press, this is a fantastic exercise which uses a great deal of your upper body muscles. I use this to build my shoulder strength.
Kettlebell Single Arm Row
The kettlebell single arm row is a fantastic workout to develop your lateral back muscles. Bend over leaning on one knee and raising the kettlebell to your hip then brought back down to rest on the floor. Doing this 5-10 times will give your muscles a fantastic workout.
Kettlebell Deadlift
Kettlebell deadlift is what it says on the tin, deadlift but instead of using a barbell you use a kettlebell. Be sure to lift using your legs and glutes and not your lower back. The power and form comes from the glutes. Some athletes do this exercise using one hand but I find its better to use two hands as this prevents injury and strain on your back.
Kettlebell Goblin Squat
The Kettlebell goblin squat .is one of the most difficult of all kettlebell exercises, simply holding that kettlebell to your chest and bending your knees in a squat is physically very draining but is also really fun. The kettlebell goblin squat will workout your thigh muscles and glutes in a brilliant way which will give you better stability when walking and moving through functional day to day movements.
Kettlebell Suggestions
Editor’s choice
PRIMAL KETTLEBELL
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Introducing the new BIGFOOT kettlebell.
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COLOR CODED KETTLEBELL
New line of basic kettlebells strike the perfect balance of economy and performance.
The chip resistant coating is smooth enough for long stamina building work.
Just enough texture to take gym chalk and prevent sweat slippage when working out!
Performing Kettlebell Exercises with Good Form
Performing your kettlebell exercises with good form is actually really difficult at first and there are several reasons for this. The primary reasons is you need to learn how to life the weights in a carefully controlled way to prevent injuring your back or other muscles. To prevent you causing injury to yourself I will share in this blog some personal tips I learnt during the last 6 months of lifting with Kettlebells.
Choose the correct weight for Kettlebell Training
Performing exercises with your kettlebell either too heavy or too light will definitely cause you to have bad form. The challenge is about finding a weight which is challenging but not so challenging that you overcompensate for the weight being too high.
This was actually a really frustrating problem for myself given that I was very used to heavy weights from working out in the gym before I started Kettlebell workouts. The issue I faced is I felt because I am strong I can handle heavy kettlebells but I quickly learnt my functional strength and my stamina was nowhere near developed enough to handle high weight kettlebells. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but swallow it I did! Form is absolutely key, don’t let your ego get in the way of real progress. If you need to drop to a lower weight then do it.
On the other hand if you workout with a weight that is too low and too easy you will find yourself flinging the weight around too fast with less control. It’s vitally important when choosing a weight to choose a weight which is right for your strength level. The kettlebell when being moved through an exercise should feel both challenging and controlled.
Another important variable to consider are the muscle groups you are focusing on for your kettlebell workout. When I am deciding what exercises to focus on I always decide if I want a full body focus, a lower body focus or an upper body focus. Naturally given that leg muscles are much bigger than upper body muscles its a good idea to use heavier weights for these workouts. However upper body workouts its a better idea to keep the weight at a level you are comfortable to lift. When you are working your whole body you can go relatively light because it’s as much about cardiovascular health as it is building muscle.
How to Exercise using Kettlebells with Good Form
When exercising with kettlebells and trying to maintain good form it’s absolutely vitally important that you warm up. Part of the reason most workouts start with Kettlebell swings is because you need to warm your body up before you start your core lifts. I like to start most of my kettlebell workouts with semi heavy kettlebell swings, I find this gets my heartrate up and prepares me mentally for the trials ahead. I become more focused and attuned with my body after a good warmup, having mind and body connection with Kettlebell training is vitally important.
Hand to Hand Kettlebell Swing Workout
When starting kettlebell training a common issue with beginners is having poor hand to eye coordination which is a major part in doing correct kettlebell form. One way to work out this is performing single hand kettlebell swing swaps (also called Hand to Hand kettlebell swings). This is effectively where you swing the kettlebell like normally and then at the top of the swing while your hand and kettlebell are in the pinnacle of the swing you let go and swap the hand which is holding the kettlebell.
Doing this sounds dangerous but don’t worry it is not, the reason for this is because when you are swinging the kettlebell you are only putting enough force for it to swing to chest height and then fall. So letting go of the kettlebell at chest height means the kettlebell is weightless and has plenty of time in the air for you to remove your hand and grab hold of it with your opposing hand.
One great way to practice this is to start with low weight kettlebells and go up as your hand-eye coordination improves. The beauty of this exercise is you’re working many parts of your body, your mind is focused and your hand-eye coordination is improving. Doing this at the start of your workout will improve your mind to body connection and allow you to focus on exercising with correct form that much easier.
Mark Wildman from YouTube explains the perfect form on the Hand to Hand Kettlebell swing. I personally did this to improve my hand-eye coordination and I haven’t looked back since! Mark is an expert in Kettlebell training and I have personally learnt how to do this from his video below, which I will share with you so you can hopefully learn like I did.
Choosing the Right Kettlebell
There are some tips you should keep in mind when choosing the right kettlebell:
Textured Grip Kettlebells: Always choose a kettlebell with textured grip, your hands will sweat and your kettlebell will slip if you are not careful, having a slightly textured grip handled kettlebell will ensure you drop or throw your kettlebell accidentally.
Color Coded Kettlebells: Look you’re working out, you’re too focused on getting through the next exercise with good form to worry about figuring out what weight kettlebell you’re working out with. For this reason I like to use kettlebells which are color coded by weight.
Wide Grip Kettlebells: Choosing a kettlebell with a wide grip will mean you can do exercises which use both one hand or two hands. You have more room for good technique if you use a kettlebell which has a good handle designed for your size hands.
Flat base Kettlebells: I know this sounds like an absurd tip but believe me when I say I have seen many kettlebells which flip over due to poor base design. Quick test of this is dropping the kettlebell from 2-3 inches from the ground and seeing if it balances itself or if it falls over a little too easily. When you’re mid workout it can be irritating having to right the kettlebell up from a fallen position.
Cast Iron Kettlebells: Why cast iron? Well it can be any metal you like but the key thing to avoid is kettlebells coated in paint. I don’t care what type of paint it is, it will chip over time. Choose a kettlebell with no paint coating will mean it looks the same over time rather than becoming a chipped heap of metal after a month or two.
“Snazzy” Shaped Kettlebells: I love Kettlebell workouts but you know what I like more? Kettlebell workouts with snazzy shaped kettlebells. Ever used a Gorilla shaped Kettlebell? I have and it’s awesome. Using a kettlebell shaped like a powerful prime-ape fills you with motivation. Though it does motivate me it certainly isn’t required to do good form, it just fills you with passion.
My favorite kettlebells are below, the left is my favorite for heavy workouts and the right is my day to day kettlebell I use for most medium to lower weight kettlebell work.
Editor’s choice
PRIMAL KETTLEBELL
The search is over the missing link in your Primal Bell collection is finally here.
Introducing the new BIGFOOT kettlebell.
This Savage Sasquatch weighs in at 90.28 pounds!
Best value
COLOR CODED KETTLEBELL
New line of basic kettlebells strike the perfect balance of economy and performance.
The chip resistant coating is smooth enough for long stamina building work.
Just enough texture to take gym chalk and prevent sweat slippage when working out!
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