The Kettlebell is a dynamic exercise that will build a stronger, more powerful athlete. With great power comes....you know where I’m going.

The responsibility lies on your shoulders to make sure you make the most from the movement without injuring yourself or your client. Here are three common mistakes that most new trainees make with kettlebell swings and how to fix them.

Mistake #1: Lacking stability in your feet.

Whether you’re swinging from a bilateral stance or performing walking swings, staggered swings, etc. you want to make sure your feet are firmly planted on the ground. As the weight is moving it’s constantly trying to move your center of gravity with it. This is why it’s important to use shoes that are thin enough to create a strong connection between your feet and the floor. Practice rooting your  entire foot and toes into the ground before you do anything ballistic. Feel the connection throughout your lower limbs all the way...

Strength and conditioning workouts for combat athletes have unique requirements. They should build the fighter’s strength in multiple planes and positions with an emphasis on grip and core strength, shoulder stability, and overall body awareness. Here are five movements that will strengthen you from head to toe, build your rotational power, increase your hip speed, and help you crush your enemies. Assuming you know how to fight. 

1. Staggered Alternating Rotational Swing 

Learning how to build power from the staggered position will carry over into just about every sport. Combine this with the benefits of the swing which include building glute and core strength, hip speed and power. The added benefit of the rotation will help transfer rotational power which is crucial for every type of combat athlete. 

2. Deadstart Rotational Clean

Being able to pull explosively from an off-set position rotationally will come in handy in...

Most people want it all and they want it yesterday. Having goals with your training and physique are important, but when you spread yourself too thin you end up further away from where you want to be. The best thing you can do to see results is get clear on what you want to achieve the most and then stay consistent with anything that supports that.

Finding the perfect program is a trap. There is no perfect program. The key is to stick to a program long enough to see the results you intended to get with it. Tracking and assessing are all part of the results process. When you jump from program to program you sabotage yourself and make sure the results take as long as humanly possible (if they ever come at all).

When you stick to a program for at least 3-4 weeks, be consistent with the plan and put everything you’ve got into it you’d be shocked at how well it serves you. We love hearing about people who’ve gone through our programs like Minimum Space...

When you’re a high-level athlete where a fraction of difference in your performance can be the difference between silver and gold your training needs to match with incredible specificity and consistent intensity. For the rest of us, it’s important to assess why we're working out and what results we’re looking for. In this world of fitness it’s common for people to draw lines in the sand and designate something as a waste of time. Slow, low intensity cardio, walking, flow, kettlebells, isolation exercises, HIIT, and the list goes on. 

What about if you can get better results doing something else? What if all the research indicates that type X cardio will give you what you want at a faster rate than type Y? Most people will go all in at least for a little while. What’s more important is which cardio or type of training will get you results even if it takes a little longer IF it’s something you enjoy and will actually be...

The kettlebell snatch is a powerful movement that builds full body strength and power. Once you’ve mastered the basics it’s time to get some rotation in! Here are three variations that will give you a new movement to master as well as build rotational power. 

For each of these variations it’s crucial to have the “float” at the top to allow for the bell to finish in the overhead position without slamming on your forearm. Regardless of what orientation or degree of rotation you’re in, maintain enough tension throughout your torso and during the movement itself to avoid putting too much pressure on your lower back. 

 1. Deadstart Rotational Snatch

This variation will require the least amount of coordination since you’ll be moving the bell vertically and across the body. There is no drop in the variation so you’ll only be getting the concentric pull.

2. Half Rotational Snatch

This variation will have the bell...

The Clean is a deceptive exercise. It looks like a curl, but moves from the ground to your shoulder in an entirely different way. The key thing for those new to the clean to understand is the trajectory the kettlebell needs to take and the primary movers. 

Here are a handful of regressions that will help you on that path! 

1. Two hand Cheat Curl Clean - This is helping you understand that the bell doesn't come end over end as it finishes in the rack. Even with speed the kettlebell should nestle itself in the rack like a baby bird as opposed to a wrecking ball. 
2. Two hand Hang Clean - Once the pathway has been set, now we want to add some hip timing of the hinge and extension. The primary mover is not the upper body, so this will help you practice that. You’ll still use your other arm for half the work here. 
3. Assisted Hang Clean - Now we’re speed and less intervention from the other hand. This will help use work the lower body with a powerful drive, but...

The swing is a powerful movement that helps the strongest and most powerful athlete get even more explosive. Two hand swings are great and have their uses, but here are five swing variations you might not have tried before.

1. One Arm Staggered Swing 

Here you’re going to take the mechanics of the swing (strong hip drive, tense upper body, tall standing position), but instead of staying in a bilateral stance with your feet at an equal distance you’re going to stagger your feet. This allows you to focus slightly more on one side (your front leg) as you drive through to the top of the exercise. On this variation avoid rotating your torso on the downswing. Sink into your front glute on the downswing to add a greater unilateral focus to the movement. 

1. Alternating Staggered Rotational Swing 

This is by far one of my favorite kettlebell exercises. You get the timing of the alternating position from the hand to hand transfer as well as your foot position, the...