Blog
Training an Olympic Judoka with Kettlebell Swings and the Goblet Squat
10,000 athletes compete in the Summer Olympics. Colton Brown, age 23, was ranked number 1 in the USA (and 27th in the world) in the Men’s 90 Kilogram Judo Black Belt Division on May 30, 2016. Now, Col…
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Improve Your Posture with the RKC Kettlebell Swing
Postural correction is a hot topic. Spending too much time in a seated position while driving or working on a computer will adversely affect our ability to stand up straight.
Wouldn’t it be great if t…
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Rowing and Kettlebells
Indoor rowing is one of the fastest growing fitness trends in the US. Head to any major city and you’ll find rowing gyms. Even the local YMCAs are taking the rowing machines out of the corner and movi…
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Moving Strong(er) Equals Training Strong(er)
First, let’s consider the human movement system. What parts are involved? What is moving? What initiates the movement?
The human movement system is comprised of the nervous system, skeletal system, an…
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Why Recertify?
As I review my half-century in the weightroom (I started lifting in 1965), I begin to see our world of strength through the lens of something Arthur Schopenhauer noted:
“When you look back on your lif…
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7 Steps to a Bang-Free Kettlebell Clean
Few movements in “kettlebell land” frustrate people like kettlebell cleans. Not everyone enjoys the bruising and soreness we often deal with while learning cleans. And, cleans can get stressful if we’…
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Two Quick, Easy and Effective Kettlebell Exercises for Any Population
There is something to be said about simplicity of movement and reinforcing the fundamental patterns of our kettlebell lifting.
I’ve taken two basic exercises and by using two kettlebells and focusing …
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How to Increase Your Grip Strength for Better Kettlebell Swings and Snatches
Train Your Weakest Link…
If I had a quarter for every person I’ve trained who blurted out, “That wasn’t too hard, I could have done more but my grip was giving out,” after a difficult set, then I woul…
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How to Dominate the RKC Snatch Test
For many, the Snatch Test is a fearsome obstacle to RKC certification. But it does not have to be that way. When you start training frequently enough and have acquired good technique, you will be able…
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Dan John, Dr. Chris Holder and Chris White instruct at the San Jose RKC
I recently saw a terrific movie at one of our local Indie theaters, called Tangerine by Sean Baker (who has now become one of my favorite directors).
Tangerine is about transgender prostitutes in Los …
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The Standing Power Band Plank
Solidifying the top and bottom positions of the kettlebell swing are key components to teaching someone to swing correctly. I have two go-to drills: one is part of the RKC manual and curriculum (the t…
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HardStyle Breathing: On and Off
Breathing is an important key to performance. If you neglect it, you leave a big piece of the performance puzzle on the table.
If your mission (like mine) is to reach the apex of your physical potenti…
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