The kettlebell is a cast iron weight used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength, explosive power, and flexibility training.

Sizes may range from 4 pounds (1.8 kg) to 175 pounds (79 kg).

Unlike traditional dumbbells, the kettlebell's center of mass is extended beyond the hand. This necessitates ballistic and swinging movements. Typically,  kettlebell exercises build strength and endurance, particularly in the lower back, legs, and shoulders, and increase grip strength. The basic movements such as the swing, engages the entire body in a multiplanar activity.

The movements used in kettlebell exercise can be dangerous to those who have back, shoulder problems, or a weak core. Kettlebells are for advanced lifters with proper muscle balance.

Warming Up and Stretching

Warming up with 5-10 of aerobic exercise prepares the body for exercise by increasing heart rate and breathing rate, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and raising body temperature. Warming muscles and tendons improve range of motion and decrease the risk of injury. Warm muscles are more flexible than cold muscles. It is always important to follow a stretching regimen when working out to ensure safety, elasticity, and flexibility.

Kettlebell Sots Press

5 Phases

1. Preparatory

2. Position

3. Explode

4. Control

  5. Recovery 

                              EXPERT VIDEO                            

 NOVICE VIDEO

 1. Preparatory Phase

Standing in anatomical position, pronate the hand you will be using to pick up the kettlebell.  Unlock the knees using a slight flexion, have the arm reach downward into a full elbow extension; try not to lock the elbow. Flex and snap the hips forward using a posterior pelvic tilt thrust. The back should be erect, tighten the abdomen, and stand up. Simultaneously flex the elbow to approximately 120 degrees and extend the wrist causing the kettlebell to flip over, so the palm is facing outward. Keep in mind the cue for this last movement, at the same time snap the elbow and wrist.  

                                                          EXPERT

                                                               

                                                         NOVICE

                                                               

Cues: Simutaneously snap the elbows and the wrist

2. Position Phase

Squat down, keep your eyes fixated to the sky and drive the butt to the ground. Shift your weight through your heels, keep your back and abdomen tight and erect. Eyes to the sky, weight to your heels.

                                                       EXPERT

NOVICE

Cues: Eyes to the sky and weight to your heels.

                                  

 3. Explode Phase

Externally rotate the shoulder, extend the elbow up, and abduct the shoulder to approximately 180 degrees. Exhale as you press up keeping the core engaged. The agonist muscle in this movement is the deltoids. Very important things to remember when doing this exercise is exhale press and squeeze/engage the core.   

                                                         EXPERT

     

                                               NOVICE

Cues: Exhale press and squeeze/engage the core. 

4. Control Phase

Inhale as you lower the shoulder back down. Flex the elbow and internally rotate the shoulder, flexing the elbow approximately 120 degrees as the wrist is still extended. When doing this movement you must remember to bring your elbow back to the flexed position and the wrist to the extended position. as the shoulder is flexed to roughly 90 degrees. A good way to remember is down and close to the shoulder with the kettlebell.   

                                                          EXPERT

                                                           NOVICE

Cues: Down and close to the shoulder

5. Recovery Phase

Bring the arm down in a relaxed position in front of the body as you stand up from the squat. Squat down to place the kettlebell on the ground. Return to the Preparatory Phase by pushing through the legs and straightening out your back to an erect position while keeping the core tight. As you stand up your back and core should work together. Extend up/belly button through the back.

                                                EXPERT

                                               NOVICE

Cues: Extend up/belly button through the back.

Figure 8 Kettlebell Swing with Upright Row

5 Phases

1. Stance

2. Right Swing

3. Left Swing

4. Explode

5. Recovery

                                                 EXPERT VIDEO

                                       NOVICE VIDEO

 

1. Stance

Standing in anatomical position, pronate the hand you will be using first to pick up the kettlebell, which will be placed in between the legs.  Unlock the knees using a slight flexion, have the arm reach downward into a full elbow extension; try not to lock the elbow. The back should be erect, tighten the abdomen, and stand up as you are causing a compressive load to the vertebra. Tight core, erect back and bend at knees

                                                            EXPERT

     NOVICE         

Cues: Tight core, erect back and bend at knees.

        

2. Right Swing

Squat down and hold, keep your eyes fixated to the sky and drive the butt to the ground shift your weight through your heels, keep your back and abdomen tight and erect. Starting with your right arm horizontally abduct the shoulder around the longitudinal axis, pass the kettlebell in between the legs allowing your left hand to grab it and rotate around the left leg as you stand up from the squat bringing the kettlebell between the legs. The right arm in which you are passing with, will squeeze towards the body as you pass it between the legs engaging the anterior delt and pectoral muscles. With each pass you take, a small squat may be performed. Depending on the muscular strength of the person who is performing it, it may vary. The smaller the squat, the better control the person has. The larger and bouncier the squat the less control the person has. Pass the kettlebell close to the body and squeeze the arm that is holding it. Pass close and squeeze right arm in towards body.

                                                         EXPERT

                                                         NOVICE



Cues: Pass close and squeeze right arm in towards body.

3. Left Swing

Squat down and hold, keep your eyes fixated to the sky and drive the butt to the ground shift your weight through your heels, keep your back and abdomen tight and erect. Horizontally abduct the left shoulder in the transverse plane and pass through the legs so that the right arm can grab it and rotate it around the right leg as you stand up from the squat. . With each pass you take, a small squat may be performed. Depending on the muscular strength of the person who is performing it, it may vary. The smaller the squat, the better control the person has. The larger and bouncier the squat the less control the person has. Pass the kettlebell close to the body and squeeze the arm that is holding it. Pass close and squeeze left arm in towards body.

                                                          EXPERT

                                                          NOVICE

Cues: Pass close and squeeze left arm in towards body.




 

4. Explode

The kettlebell is now in the front of the body and both hands will be placed on the top handle in an overhand grip. Squat down, keep your eyes fixated to the sky and drive the butt to the ground. Shift your weight through your heels, keep your back and abdomen tight and erect as your elbows are extended. As you stand up from the squat elevate the scapula concentrically  in the Frontal plane causing the upper trapezius and levator scapulae to come into play.  Flex the shoulders, elbows, and wrists and raise towards the chin, try not to lock the joints out. Elevate scapula.

                                                            EXPERT

                                                           NOVICE

Cues: Elevate scapula

5. Recovery Phase

Lower the kettlebell medially to the body causing depression in eccentrically, and hold the position. Lower arms and shoulders.

                                                          EXPERT

                                                         NOVICE

Cues: Lower arms and shoulders.

Kettlebell Shoulder Blast

5 Phases

1. Preparatory

2. Movement

3. Combination

4. Explode

5. Recovery


EXPERT VIDEO

NOVICE VIDEO

1. Preparatory Phase

Standing in anatomical position, pronate both hands to pick up both kettlebells, which will be placed in between the legs.  Unlock the knees using a slight flexion, have the arms reach downward into a full elbow extension; try not to lock the elbows. Flex and snap the hips forward using a posterior pelvic thrust causing body dynamics to gain momentum. The back should be erect, tighten the abdomen, and stand up. Thrust hips and stand up.

                                                          EXPERT



                                                          NOVICE

Cues: Thrust hips and stand up.






2. Movement Phase

Squat down and swing the arms underneath the legs using momentum. Slightly stand up from the squat as you flex the shoulders in the sagittal plane to 90 degrees or slightly higher with the use of momentum.  Keep your eyes fixated to the sky and drive the butt to the ground. Shift your weight through your heels, keep your back and abdomen tight and erect. Eyes to the sky and weight to your heels, flex the shoulders.

                                                           EXPERT



                                                           NOVICE

Cues: Eyes to the sky and weight to your heels.

3. Combination Phase

As the shoulders are flexed stand up and adduct the legs in the frontal plane approximately 6 inches apart and squat down and hold isometrically. The kettlebells will then swing beside the body as you continue with the squat. Flex the shoulders in the sagittal plane approximately 90 degrees, at this point you must also flex the elbows at approximately 140 degrees, as you extend the wrists and flip the kettlebell over in the sagittal plane.  This is a long phase to remember, the most important things are, legs close, squat, and snap.

                                                         EXPERT

                                                         NOVICE

 Cues: Legs close, squat, and snap.

4. Explode Phase

Go deeper into the squat, keep your eyes fixated to the sky and drive the butt to the ground. Shift your weight through your heels, keep your back and abdomen tight and erect. Externally rotate the shoulder, extend the elbow up, explode up pushing through the legs and abduct the shoulder to approximately 180 degrees. Exhale as you press up keeping the center of gravity in your abdomen for increasing muscular power. Remember; as you squat you, eyes to the sky and weight to your heels, your core is tight, explode through legs and reach up. 

                                                        EXPERT

                                                         NOVICE

Cues: Eyes to the sky and weight to your heels, your core is tight, explode through legs and reach up. 

5. Recovery Phase

Lower the shoulders and arms as you bring the kettlebells back down on the side of the body. Squat down to return the kettlebells to the ground. As you stand up your back and core should work together. Extend up/belly button through the back.

                                                          EXPERT



                                                          NOVICE

Cues: Extend up/belly button through the back.

The next 3 exercises and stretches can be used for all 3 of these skills.

Rotator Cuff Damage

Forceful overhead movements such as abduction and flexion with medial rotation are common injuries for the shoulder. Shoulder Impingement is the most common types of shoulder injuries in which there is progressive pressure on the on the rotator cuffs by the surrounding bone and soft tissue. This type of injury can be extremely painful and causes inflammation and tenderness. The muscle most affected by it is the supraspinatus, due to blood flow.

Exercises to prevent or increase muscular strength

Start Position: Start in a standing position with your feet lined up under your hips, your pelvis centered over your feet, your rib cage stacked directly over the pelvis, and your head centered between your shoulders—that is, with your joints lined up in your best neutral position. Contract your deep abdominals first, and then set the shoulder blade in that neutral position. Keep your upper arm down to your side with the elbow bent to 90 degrees so your forearm is facing forward. The head of your humerus should be in the center of the shoulder socket with your upper arm perpendicular to the ground. Keep your wrist in a neutral position.

                                          Internal Rotation

Holding on to a resisted band or pulley, rotate your upper arm toward your body without moving your elbow forward or backward. Force in, elbow tight to the body.

External Rotation

Holding on to a resisted band or pulley, rotate your upper arm away from your body without moving your elbow forward or backward. Pull away elbow tight to the body.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

The knee is a "hinge" type joint that allows the leg to bend and straighten. Of all the joints in the body, the knee is at the greatest risk of injury, age-related wear and tear, and inflammatory arthritis.

Knee pain secondary to weight lifting is often caused by an overuse injury involving the patello femoral joint, or the quadriceps or patellar tendons. However,tears to the menisci may also occur.

A group of symptoms most commonly caused by overuse of the knee. It affects many running athletes, and is more common in women than men. It can develop easily when there is a muscle imbalance in the quads. It causes pain in the front of the knee, and pain may worsen with squatting, running, prolonged sitting, or when climbing.

Strengthening Exercises 

Straight leg hold — Sit on the edge of a chair or lie down on the back. Bend the opposite leg. Keep the affected leg perfectly straight and raise it 4 to 6 inches off the ground. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Perform a total of three sets.



Pulled or Tight Hamstrings

Hamstring pulls or strains often occur during an eccentric contraction of the hamstring muscle group as an athlete is running. Just before the foot hits the ground, the hamstrings will contract to slow the forward motion of the lower leg (tibia and foot). Some of the factors which may contribute to a hamstring injury could be poor flexibility, weak muscles, muscle imbalance, or muscle fatigue.

Treatment for hamstring injuries depends upon the severity of the injury. RICE is the most common way to help treat a pulled hamstring.

High Hamstring Stretch

Put one foot on a stool, chair, or step at or right above waist level. Keep your toes pointed forward and your leg straight. Looking straight ahead, lean forward from the hips and pelvis while maintaining an erect lower back. Once you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh close to the knee, hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

 

Lying Reverse Leg Raises

Lie down on a mat on your belly. Bring your hands near your forehead to support your head. Relax your foot so the hamstrings will be targeted. Raise your leg 12-15 times in the air without touching the ground. Do not arch your back. If you feel it in the butt or back you are going to high, reposition yourself.

Terminology

1. Anatomical Position- Erect standing position with all body parts, including the palms of the hands facing forward.

2. Pronate/Pronation- Combined conditions of dorsiflexion, eversion, and abduction.

3. Posterior Pelvic Tilt- Anterior superior iliac spine tilted backward with respect to the acetabulum, positions the head of the femur in front of the hipbone to enable ease of flexion.

4. Abduction- “to take away” Moves a body segment away from the midline of the body.

5. Agonist- Role played by a muscle acting to cause a movement.

6. Deltoid- The deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder. A large triangular muscle covering the shoulder joint and serving to abduct, flex, extend and rotate the arm.

7. Flexion- In anatomy is a position that is made possible by the joint angle decreasing. For example the elbow is flexed when the hand is brought closer to the shoulder. Flexion decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at a joint.

8. Extension- In kinesiology, extension is a movement of a joint that results in increased angle between two bones or body surfaces at a joint. Extension usually results in straightening of the bones or body surfaces involved. For example, extension is produced by extending the flexed elbow.

9. Dynamics- branch of mechanics dealing with systems subject to acceleration.

10. Sagittal Plane of motion- A plane in which forward and backward movements of the body and body segments occur.

11. Adduction- “to bring back” Moves a body segment closer to the midline.

12. Isometric Contraction- A contraction involving no change in muscle length.

13.  Frontal Plane of motion- Plane in which lateral movements of the body and body segments occur.

14. Center of gravity- Point around which a body’s weight is equally balanced, no matter how the body is positioned.

15. Muscular Power- Muscular power is the ability to exert maximum force in minimum time. It is the rate at which one can perform work. Powerful athletes are explosive and can accelerate rapidly. Muscular power development depends upon the right balance of speed and strength for specific skills and sports that require explosiveness.

16. Compression- Pressing or squeezing force directed axially through a body.

17. Longitudinal Axis- Imaginary line around which transverse plane rotations occur.

18. Horizontal Abduction- Involves  lateral movement of an extremity, away from the middle, or centerline of the body around an axis of rotation.

19. Transverse Plane of motion- Plane in which horizontal body and body segments movements occur when the body is in an erect standing position.

20. Elevate- Movement in a superior direction. The upper muscle fibers of the tapezius aid in elevating the apex of the shoulder.

21. Frontal Plane of motion- Plane in which lateral movements of the body and body segments occur.

22. Concentric- Describing a contraction involving shortening of a muscle.

23. Trapezius- A large superficial muscle that extends longitudinally from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae and laterally to the spine of the scapula. Its functions are to move the scapulae and support the arm.

24. Levator Scapulae- A skeletal muscle situated at the back and side of the neck. As the name suggest, its main function is to lift the scapula.

25. Medial- Describes a structure toward the midline of the body.

26. Depression- Movement in an inferior direction, which is the opposite of elevation. Opposite to the upper fibers, the lower half of the trapezius aids in depressing the apex of the shoulder

27. Eccentric- Describing a contraction involving lengthening of a muscle.

28. Tendon- is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension.

29. Elasticity (of muscle)-  Natural ability of some things to recover the original form upon the removal of the force initially applied.

30. Range of Motion- The distance and direction a joint can move between the flexed position and the extended position. Therapeutic exercises can increase range of motion in joints.

31. Flexibility- Refers to the absolute range of movement in a joint or series of joints, and length in muscles that cross the joints. Flexibility is variable between individuals, particularly in terms of differences in muscle length of multi-joint muscles.

32. Muscle Imbalance- Occurs when one muscle, or group of muscles, works harder than it should while other muscles don't work hard enough.

33. Muscle Fatigue- The decline in ability of amuscleto generate force. It can be a result of vigorousexercise but abnormal fatigue may be caused by barriers to or interference with the different stages of muscle contraction.

34. RICE- is a treatment method for soft tissue injury which is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. When used appropriately, recovery time is usually shortened and discomfort minimized.