Been working a lot on the plans for our upcoming kettlebell workshop at the FVT Studio. And I’ve been thinking about how to make the event better than ever …
I am realizing, now having worked with thousands of folks on improving their kettlebell training technique … our number one goal is to get you to a place where you can train with kettlebells safely and effectively. We don’t want you to get injured, and we want you to be able to enjoy all the benefits working with kettlebells can offer – like fat loss, improved conditioning, etc.
That’s our baseline. We try to get folks to that point as soon as possible. And for most people it takes maybe 300-500 reps of a given KB exercise, WITH expert supervision and coaching, to get there.
This should be your goal as well.
Then, after that, we are ALWAYS going to be tweaking and refining the exercise. You can always get a little better at swings, cleans, snatches, Turkish get ups, etc. And you should always be trying to.
All this being said, I have two drills for you today that will help you improve your swing form, no matter where you are currently at with it. Give them a go, and be sure to let me know how you do:
1 – Face the Wall Squat Drill
Wall squats are the perfect way to teach someone how to squat correctly. The wall squat drill is performed while facing a wall and standing approximately one foot away. You will squat down as far as you can, without any part of your body coming in contact with the wall. The visual reference of the wall forces you to stay tall and upright as you squat down. You will also want to make sure your knees track over your toes and you keep your torso in a neutral or straight position. As you get better, and your hips and upper back become more mobile, you will be able to squat lower and lower.
Check out this video to see how to do the exercise:
2 – The Plank => KB Swing Drill
A proper kettlebell swing requires you to brace your abs just like a plank does at the top of the movement.
If you are NOT bracing your abs properly, you can 1) do a plank hold, and then 2) do a few swings immediately afterwards to feel the relationship between the two.
Check out this video to see how to do the drill:
To sum up, the kettlebell swing is one of the most efficient exercises ever. You’ll burn an amazing amount of fat with it in a short amount of time, and your conditioning levels will go through the roof. BUT – you can also ALWAYS be improving your KB swing form. The two drills we covered today will help you a lot in doing this.
That’s it for now. Try today’s drills and let me know how they work out for you.
– Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor
PS – Learn more about our upcoming kettlebell workshop HERE