Sunday, June 26, 2016

The Kettlebell


"The knowledge of one's strength entails a real mastery over oneself; it breeds energy and courage, helps one over the most difficult tasks of life, and procures contentment and true enjoyment of living"


~ George Hackenschmidt  1878-1968 


The Kettlebell Crush Grip Pull up and The Kettlebell Crush Grip Push up:


One of the many reasons I adore kettlebells is because of their convenient useful versatility. If you are looking to get a functional upper body workout for size and strength in a minimalistic productive way, then give this combo a shot. 

The Kettlebell Crush Grip Pull up:

You will be amazed at the total pec activation involved during the pull - not to mention the grip strength that this exercise demands. I recommend using lifting chalk or wrapping a towel around the ball of the bell to help to secure your grip. As you pull up, finish in an l-sit position to activate the deep layers of your front core.



The Kettlebell Crush Grip Push-up:

 I learned this exercise from legendary Steve Maxwell several years ago when I went to assist  him in one of his seminars. It truly demands, and builds, strength in the shoulder stabilizers, total core activation while strengthening all the pressing muscles.  Place your hands at the sides of the bell. Crush the bell hard  with your hands and pecs as you press, pointing the pit of the elbow forward for lat activation. Keep the whole body tight and stable with the sternum right above the kettlebell. This requires elevating the butt a bit higher than a conventional push-up. Make sure to lock out the arms at the top of the movement.


I like to alternate  these two drills when pressed with time because of their effectiveness and efficiency. That being said, these drills will drive your body into neural fatigue quickly depending of your grip strength and level of fitness. So use common sense, keeping reps low at first to build up your crushing grip strength, and gradually increase your volume. For those with a decent level of fitness, 4-5 sets X 8 to 10 reps keeping a rep or two in the tank should suffice.

You will, for sure, reap all the goodies, with tremendous grip strength, core strength, shredded abs and a gorgeous strong as it looks functional upper body that will turn heads around, if you include these two gems in your training regimen.