5 Ways to Improve Your Kettlebell Technique
Lifting kettlebells is a skill, and like any skill, practice is required to become competent. While kettlebell training is simple, it is by no means easy, and demands focus and dedication. As a coach, it’s my goal to teach kettlebells in a manner that is as easy as possible. As such, I’ve created a list of the best 5 ways to improve your kettlebell technique that will help you progress faster and achieve better results!
1. Slow down.
When performing a complicated or multi-step exercise, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything you need to think about in order to do the movement correctly. When learning to lift kettlebells, getting the correct sequence and timing down is more important than moving quickly. If you aren’t able to do the exercise in slow motion, you can bet it won’t get any better if you immediately try to go fast. Your nervous system needs time to make the brain-body connection needed to coordinate a new movement pattern. Slowing down your thought process AND the actual movement is incredibly helpful for allowing your body to catch up with the slew of mental cues you’re giving it.
2. Strengthen your foundation first.
Having a strong deadlift is an important foundation for all other kettlebell movements. Not only is the deadlift position similar to the position used for more complex movements like swings, cleans, and snatches, but the deadlift builds strength in the posterior chain that will mitigate injury risk when you start swinging. The deadlift is a slower way to train the same muscle groups as the more dynamic kettlebell movements and as I mentioned above, moving slow should precede moving fast.
Here, here, and here are a few useful videos for strengthening your deadlift.
3. Practice without a kettlebell.
To set yourself up for success, it’s best to break a movement down and use a step-by-step approach. Skipping steps usually leads to frustration and having to regress to progress later on. Begin with the most basic step, which is coordinating the movement without using a kettlebell. I like to call this practice “shadow belling”, or using an invisible kettlebell; similar to how a boxer “shadow boxes” to prepare his brain and body for an invisible opponent. Especially when it comes to the more complex kettlebell techniques, always try without a kettlebell first to make sure you are prepared for the challenge of added weight. If you can’t complete the movement without a kettlebell, it won’t get any better with a kettlebell. Instead, set yourself up for success by allowing your brain to learn the movement before you begin challenging your muscles.
4. Utilize external cues.
While internal cueing is helpful -- like reminding yourself to breathe or slow down -- there is no substitute for a good external cue. There are many ways a tool or a person can be used to cue particular elements of technique. One example of using a tool is the “towel drill”, where you place a towel underneath your elbow to learn how to keep your arm close to you during the kettlebell clean. Another example of using a person is to have them tap your knees during a swing to remind you to keep your knees back.
5. Master movement with a light weight… but don’t be afraid to go heavy.
While a movement should be mastered with a light weight, there is a point in the learning process where it’s helpful to use a heavier weight to test your technique. Using a heavier weight magnifies mistakes and emphasizes areas to work on. Additionally, some individuals may need the extra weight in order to learn how to use their legs to move the weight instead of muscling with the arms.
Now you’ve got some ideas on how to improve… get to work!
The most important way to improve your kettlebell technique is to put in focused practice.
Happy lifting,
Britt
PS - If this post was helpful for you, you’ll love my Kettlebells 101 Beginner Training Program! Click here to get more information and to receive my free ebook, The Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training.